Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Royal Albanian Army

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Albanian Army

Marshal of Albania
  
Zogu

Conscription
  
18 month

Founded
  
1928

Minister of defense
  
Zog I of Albania

Disbanded
  
1939

Military age
  
18 - 50

Headquarters
  
Tirana

Commander in chief
  
Zog I of Albania

Royal Albanian Army httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Generals
  
Xhemal Aranitasi Gustav von Myrdacz

Ranks
  
Ranks of the Royal Albanian Army, Ranks of the Royal Albanian Army (1936–1939)

Service branches
  
Royal Infantry of Albania, Royal Artillery

Similar
  
Albanian Land Force, Albanian Naval Force, Albanian Armed Forces, Albanian Air Force, Royal Italian Army

The Royal Albanian Army (Albanian: Ushtria Mbretërore Shqiptare) was the army of Albanian Kingdom and King Zogu from 1928 until 1939. Its commander-in-chief was King Zog; its commander General Xhemal Aranitasi; its Chief of Staff was General Gustav von Myrdacz. The army was mainly financed by Italy during period 1936–39.

Contents

Ranks

There were two rank systems, the first was replaced in 1936. The new ranks were used until 1939.

Artillery

  • Type 41 75 mm Mountain Gun
  • Skoda 75 mm Model 1928
  • Cannone da 65/17 modello 13

    • Machineguns

  • Schwarzlose MG M.07/12
  • Vickers machine gun
  • Maxim gun

    • Guns

  • Beretta Model 38
  • Beretta Model 1918
  • Carcano M1891
  • Mannlicher–Schönauer
  • Mauser M1893
  • Mosin–Nagant

    • Pistols

  • Glisenti Model 1910

    • Army

  • 780 officers + 13,200 soldiers + 1,620 NCOs
  • Around 15,000 conscripts (1939)
  • 9 military districts
  • 12 infantry battalions
  • 2 motorized infantry squadrons
  • 9 engineers companies
  • 1,200 tribal officers + 29,860 tribal militia
  • 204 HMG
  • 10,700 carbines (Carcano M1891, Mannlicher, Mosin)
  • 1,104 revolvers (Glisenti M1889)
  • 16,196 rifles (Beretta Model 38 &1918)
  • 12 batteries of 65 mm Italian
  • 6 batteries of 75 mm Skoda
  • 2 batteries of 105 mm Italian
  • 2 batteries of 149 mm Italian (8 guns)
  • 1 coastal artillery battery in Durrës
  • 3 AA artillery batteries
  • Two Fiat 3000B tanks
  • Six Ansaldo CV.33 tankettes
  • Eight armored cars: 2 Bianchi, 6 Lancia IZM
  • 158 personnel
  • 2 gunboats (ex-German minesweepers type FM=Flachgehende Minensuchboote)
  • 170 t, 43/6/1.7 m, 14 kn., 76 mm gun, 2 MG
  • Built in 1918/19, bought c. 1925.
  • Shqipnja (ex-FM 16) & Skanderbeg (ex-FM 23)
  • 4 Italian MAS boats
  • Built & bought in 1926 in Venice
  • 46 t, 17 kn., 76 mm gun, 2 MG
  • Tirana, Saranda, Durres, Shengjin

    • Air Force

  • 5 aircraft (Albatros-Fokker L45),
  • Unknown number of personnel (some sources estimate around 15)

    • Gendarmerie

  • 131 (officers) + 440 (NCO) + 3,206 (soldiers)
  • 6 battalions (every battalion had 500 - 600 men)
  • Behind vehicles are the numbers that were in use by the Albanian army

    • References

    Royal Albanian Army Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA