Dragoslav Račić

Dragoslav Račić (Serbian Cyrillic: Драгослав Рачић; 24 March 1905 – November 1945) was a Serbian Chetnik military commander holding the rank of colonel and voivode during World War II. In June 1941, Račić arrived on mountain Cer near Šabac where he designated the place for the headquarters of Yugoslav Army soldiers under his command. During the Summer of 1941, he organized several military units under his command, first the Cer company commanded by the Lieutenant Ratko Teodosijević who came from Ravna Gora together with Račić. Then he established the Čokešina company, the Mačva company (commanded by Lieutenant Nikola Sokić), the Machine gun company commanded by Lieutenant Voja Tufegdžić. The newly established Prnjavor company was composed of Serb refugees who escaped from Croatian Ustaše genocide and was a unit within Chetnik Cer Detachment. The Chetnik detachment was military unit of the operational Royal Yugoslav Army and the commanding officers were active and reserve Yugoslav officers determined to struggle against the enemy using guerilla Chetnik methods. Two Chetnik detachments participated in the Capture of Banja Koviljača conducted 1–6 September 1941: the Jadar Detachment and the Cer Detachment under command of Račić. The commander of the operation was Nikola Radovanović, a lieutenant general. They were quickly transported from Prnjavor through Loznica and Trbušnica to Mount Gučevo above Banja Koviljača where Račić, commander of the Cer detachment, was informed of the intention of the Jadar Detachment of 3,000 men to attack Banja Koviljača. On 21 September 1941, the Cer Chetnik Detachment commanded by Račić conducted attacks on Šabac. Račić was commander of all forces attacking Šabac, the Chetniks, the Partisans and detachment of Pećanac Chetniks commanded by Budimir Cerski. Even after the first conflicts between Partisans and Chetniks began in September 1941, Račić was praised by official communist organ "Borba" as one of the "good" Chetniks who struggled against the occupying forces alongside communist forces.