The Battle of Neretva
DVD Cover
The Battle of Neretva (Original: Bitka na Neretvi ) is a 1969 Yugoslavian war drama recounting the largest combat encounter between the Axis occupiers and the partisans in the territory of the former Yugoslavia during WWII. The film was an Italian-German coproduction directed by Veljko Bulajic and was the most expensive film produced in the then-Yugoslavia country. The film also featured an international cast including Yul Brynner , Orson Welles , Sergei Bondarchuk , Hardy Krüger , Curt Jürgens , Franco Nero and Sylva Koscina and is also notable for the massive amount of Soviet-made armor used in the production.
The following guns were used in The Battle of Neretva :
Handguns Luger P08 Partisans commanders and officers use German Luger P08 pistols.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Luger P08 9x19mm Partisan commander Vlado (Yul Brynner ) draws his pistol. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Partisan Nikola (Oleg Vidov ) (left) aims a Luger P08 pistol at Capt. Michele Riva (Franco Nero ). Walther P38 The Walther P38 is used by Partisan and Chetnik officers.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Walther P38 pistol - 9x19mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing A wounded Partisan officer draws his pistol. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The Chetnik commander (Dusan Bulajic ) holds his P38. Submachine Guns MP40 The MP40 submachine gun is used heavily by all factions.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing MP40 - 9mm. File:Hardy Krüger-BN.jpg Col. Kranzer (Hardy Krüger ) (left) holds a submachine gun in his hand. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Partisan Nikola (Oleg Vidov ) fires his MP40 while fighting German infantry Error creating thumbnail: File missing Danica (Sylva Koscina ), a female Partisan, uses an MP40 Error creating thumbnail: File missing Comander Stole (Velimir 'Bata' Zivojinovic ) fires on Cetnik cavalry with his MP40 . Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Cetnik cavalryman carries a slung MP40. Beretta Model 38 Partisans used captured Italian Beretta M38A and Beretta Model 38/42 submachine guns.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Beretta Model 38A - 9x19mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing . Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Partisan aims his gun at Nikola. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The Ustasha commander (Miha Baloh ) prepares to fire. Beretta Model 38/42 Beretta Model 38/42 are used by partisans and chetniks.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Beretta Model 38/42 - 9x19mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Partisan aims his Model 38/42 at German infantry. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Chetnik fire his submachine gun. Beretta Model 38/44 Beretta Model 38/44 are also used.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Beretta Model 38/44 - 9x19mm. This model replaced the 38/42 and features an unfluted barrel and lacks the recoil spring extension from the back of the receiver. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Serb Cetnik cavalryman holds his M38/44. Note the slim unfluted barrel. Machine Guns MG42 German and Partisan forces use MG42 machine guns.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing MG42 Machine Gun - 7.92x57mm Mauser Error creating thumbnail: File missing A German fires his MG42. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Stipe (Boris Dvornik ), a motorcycle-riding Partisan, carries a slung machine gun. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The Partisan commander, Vlado (Yul Brynner ), fires an MG42 at German airplanes. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Novak (Ljubisa Samardzic ), a Partisan machine-gunner, mans his weapon. MG34 Both sides use MG34 machineguns as well.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing MG34 7.92x57mm Mauser with 75-round ammo drum Error creating thumbnail: File missing Partisan machine gunner fires his MG34. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Chetniks gunners lie dead beside their weapon. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Machinegunner Novak (Ljubisa Samardzic ) with his MG34. Breda Modello 37 Italian troops use the Breda Modello 37 "heavy" machine gun.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Breda Modello 37 - 8x59mm RB Breda Error creating thumbnail: File missing An Italian machinegunner fires on the attacking partisans with his Modello 37. Error creating thumbnail: File missing An M37 machinegun guards a Serbian chetnik camp. Rifles Karabiner 98k Both German and Partisan forces use Karabiner 98k rifles.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Karabiner 98k - 7.92x57mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing German infantry with K98k rifles in melee combat. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Partisan engages Chetniks with his rifle. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Chetnik returns fire with his K98k Mauser Gewehr 1898 rifle The Ustasha patrols carry Mauser Gewehr 1898 rifles.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Mauser Gewehr 1898 7.92x57mm Mauser Error creating thumbnail: File missing Carcano M91 Rifle The Italian infantry carry Carcano M91/38 Cavalry Carbines and Carcano M91/38 Short Rifles .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Carcano M91/38 Cavalry Carbine with folded bayonet - 6.5mm. Error creating thumbnail: File missing An Italian soldier runs toward the train with his rifle in hand. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Partisan woman (Milena Drapcevic ) carries a M91/38 rifle. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Carcano M91/38 Short Rifle - 6.5 mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing An Italian soldier carries a rifle on his back. Hand Grenades Model 39 Eihandgranate Partisans carry the Model 39 Eihandgranate .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The Model 39 Eihandgranate hand grenade Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Partisan dances with hand grenades hanging from his belt. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Several grenades are seen on Novak's (Ljubisa Samardzic ) belt. Model 24 Stielhandgranate German infantry and some partisans carry Model 24 Stielhandgranates .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Model 24 Stielhandgranate "Potato Masher" high-explosive fragmentation hand grenade Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Partisan prepares to throw a bundle of grenades at an Italian armored car. Mk 2 hand grenade A Mk 2 hand grenade is briefly seen.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Mk 2 "Pineapple" High-Explosive Fragmentation hand grenade. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Partisan girl about to throw a grenade at Chetnik cavalry. Unidentified grenade The Partisans for disposal of bridge or stockpiles of enemies weapons use a unidentified bombs.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Commander Vlado (Yul Brynner ) holds a unidentified grenades volume in his hand. Other Kampfpistole Z A Kampfpistole Z is used for signalling.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing German Flare Gun 1944 No. 2 PTRS-41 anti-tank rifle Partisans anti-tank troops are equipped with PTRS-41 rifles .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing PTRS-41 anti-tank rifle 14.5x114mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Partisan aims at a German tank. Granatwerfer 42 Mortar (GrW 34) The chetniks deployed against a partisans the Granatwerfer 42 Mortars .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Kurzer 8 cm Granatwerfer 42 Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Flak 38 Partisans capture a German Flakvierling 38 anti-aircraft gun.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Flakvierling 38 - 20x138mm B Error creating thumbnail: File missing M1939 (52-K) Soviet 85mm Anti Aircraft Gun Error creating thumbnail: File missing Partisan commander Martin (Sergey Bondarchuk ) fires a 85mm M1939 (52-K) at German aircraft Error creating thumbnail: File missing Partisans destroy their heavy artillery before retreating into the mountains. 5 cm PaK 38 Partisans fire a 5 cm Pak 38 anti-tank gun.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing 5 cm-Pak 38 anti-tank gun. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Armor One of the most interesting aspects of this film was the massive amount of Soviet-era armor lent to the production including the following:
T-34 The unmodified T-34 Russian tank is the most widely seen armored vehicle in the film, which was typically seen utilized by the German forces.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing German forces are seen using Soviet T-34's. Pzkw VI Tiger I What appear to be Tiger I tanks are also seen used by German forces in the film. In reality, these were T-34's with modified turrets to resemble the Tiger. These mockups were so well detailed that three of them were eventually reused in the 1970 Clint Eastwood war film Kelly's Heroes
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Tiger I tanks are also seen used by German forces. These were modified T-34's and were subsequently reused in the film Kelly's Heroes M4 Sherman Strangely, American M4 Sherman tanks are also seen depicted as German armor in the film. Whil the Germans uesed the M4 Under the designation Panzerkampfwagen M4-748(a), it was rare to see a captured M4 in action
Error creating thumbnail: File missing An American M4 Sherman tank painted in German colors. 
