Royal Albanian Army

Royal Albanian Army Ushtria Mbretërore e Shqipëris
Insignia of the Albanian Royal Army
Flag of Albanian Royal Army
Founded	1928
Current form	Albanian Army
Disbanded	1939
Service branches	Royal Infantry Royal Artillery Royal Engineers Royal Navy Royal Gendarmerie Royal Guard Royal Border Guard
Headquarters	Tirana
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief	Zogu[1][2]
Marshal of Albania	Zogu
Generals	Xhemal Aranitasi Gustav von Myrdacz
Manpower
Military age	18 - 50
Conscription	18 month
Reserve personnel	29.860
Deployed personnel	15.600
Expenditures
Budget	21.3 million Franga in 1938
Industry
Foreign suppliers	United Kingdom Italy
Related articles
History	International Gendarmerie Italian invasion of Albania
Ranks	Ranks (1929–36) Ranks (1936–39)

Royal Albanian Army with Zogu

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.^[3]

Ranks

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

Ranks (1929–36)

Rank	General	Lieutenant-General	Major-General	Colonel	Lieutenant-Colonel	Major
Royal Army
Albanian title	Gjeneral	Gjeneral-Leitenant	Gjeneral-Major	Kolonel	Nënkolonel	Major
Captain	1st Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Staff Sergeant	Sergeant	Corporal	Private
Kapiten	Toger	Nëntoger	Rreshter	Tetar	Ushtar I Parë	Ushtar

Ranks (1936–39)

English name	General	Lieutenant-General	Major-General	Captain	1st Lieutenant	2nd Lieutenant	Seregant	Corporal	Soldier
Royal Army
Heads
Albanian title	Gjeneral	Gjeneral-Leitenant	Gjeneral-Major	Kapiten	Toger	Nëntoger	Rreshter	Tetar	Ushtar I Parë	Ushtar

List of weapons

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 ^[4]
• Mosin–Nagant

Pistols

• Glisenti Model 1910

Manpower and Equipment

Army

Albanian soldiers move through a northern village during the Italian invasion.

• 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

Navy

• 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.

See also

• Zogu
• Zogist salute
• Royal Border Guard

References

1. Balliu, Julie. "King Zogu - Albanians in Exile". Retrieved 24 August 2010.
2. http://www.royalark.net/Albania/albania.htm
3. http://pashtriku.beepworld.de/files/Histori/Histori_09/hazis_gjergji_7prill1939ahmetzogu_6.4.09.htm?id=FEkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA20&dq=King+Zog&hl=nl&ei=qjHuTavcEsftOaC8rZII&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CD0Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=King%20Zog&f=false
4. Kidd, R Spencer. Military Uniforms in Europe: 1900-2000. Lulu.com. ISBN 9781291187441.

Bibliography

• Piero Crociani, "Gli Albanesi Nelle Forze Armate Italiane (1939-1945)", Roma 2001
• Bernd Fischer, "Albania at War, 1939-1945", London, 1999
• Patrice Najbor, Histoire de l'Albanie et de sa maison royale (5 volumes), JePublie, Paris, 2008, (ISBN 978-2-9532382-0-4).
• Patrice Najbor, La dynastye des Zogu, Textes & Prétextes, Paris, 2002
• Time Magazine, April 17, 1939 (article "A Birth and a Death") & Albania: Zog, Not Scanderbeg (Monday, Jun. 17, 1929)
• "Jane's Fighting Ships", London, various years
• "League of Nations Armaments Yearbook", Geneva, various years 1924-1938
• e-archives of Korrieri, Tiranë Gazeta and other Albanian newspapers
• on-line articles of the Albanian Headquarters and General Staff website
• on-line articles of Ushtria Gazeta (Army Gazette)

External links

• Maison royale d'Albanie, site officiel en langue française
• Famille royale d'Albanie, site officiel en langue anglaise