Mehmed “Meha” Trbonja

In memoriam

Yugoslav Partisan Fighter and War Hero Mehmed Trbonja (born November 10, 1915, in Mostar – died 2001) was a Yugoslav partisan fighter and a War Hero of Yugoslavia. He came from a well-known civil servant family, originally from Bivolje Brdo near Čapljina, with members of his family arriving in Mostar at various times. After completing elementary school, he trained as a shoemaker and became involved in the workers' movement, participating in several of its actions. A passionate football fan, Mehmed played for the Velež Football Club, even captaining the first team for a period. During World War II, many Velež players joined the Yugoslav partisans, and 77 footballers from the club lost their lives in the war. Mehmed Trbonja was one of the few survivors and was honored with the prestigious Order of People's Hero, making him the only living recipient from the club. After the liberation of Yugoslavia, despite being a war invalid, he continued his association with Velež, both as a player and later in various administrative roles, including a long tenure as its president. Additionally, Mehmed served as a civil servant in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 1941, during the April War, Mehmed was stationed as a reservist in Budva. Though his unit did not engage in direct combat, upon returning to Mostar, he joined an underground resistance group led by Mladen Balorda and Adem Buć. After seizing firearms from a warehouse, Mehmed and his group hid explosives in his home and participated in attacks against Ustaše forces. Following a police raid that led to his capture, he escaped with the help of a contact within the police and fled to Sarajevo, where he was arrested but later managed to escape custody once again. Trbonja continued his active participation in resistance activities, including a raid on the Northern Camp to seize weapons. In September 1941, he joined the Boračko-jezerski Partisan Detachment, where he became a key figure in organizing and leading military actions, including ambushes, raids, and capturing hidden enemies. In December of the same year, he led a unit to form the Shock Detachment, responsible for high-risk operations against the occupying forces and their collaborators, such as the Chetniks. In 1942, Mehmed led a successful raid to steal ammunition from a German warehouse, transporting it to a fortified location for use by the partisans. The following year, during the Battle for Prozor, he was severely wounded while leading an assault on Italian forces but recovered and returned to the front lines. In 1943, after his recovery, Mehmed joined the newly formed Mostar Partisan Battalion and participated in the Battle of Sutjeska. His bravery and leadership earned him membership in the Communist Party of Yugoslavia. He continued to fight with the partisans until 1944, when he became a commander in the 10th Herzegovinian Shock Brigade. Throughout his service, Mehmed was decorated with numerous honors, including the Partisan Memorial of 1941, the Order of Merit for the People with Silver Rays, the Order of Brotherhood and Unity with Silver Wreath, the Order of Courage, and the prestigious Order of the People's Hero in 1953. Mehmed Trbonja passed away in 2001 in Mostar, leaving behind a legacy of courage and dedication to the Yugoslav partisan cause.

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