Armored train Hurban

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The Armored train Hurban was an armored train used during World War II, during the Slovak National Uprising. The Hurban was constucted on September 25, 1944 in the Railway Manufactory in Zvolen, Slovakia, and was the last armored train used in the Slovak National Uprising.

[edit] Armament

It was equipped with:

• a 8cm vz.17 field gun located in a cannon car
• 4 37 mm guns located in tank cars
• 11 heavy machine guns of 7.92 caliber

[edit] Combat history

The commander of the train was Captain J. Kukliš, and his assistant was Lt. J. Belko, together commanding a crew of 71 men. Hurban operated in the Brezno – Červená Skala area against the 18th division SS Horst Wessel and from October 23 – 24 1944 was the main factor in the fight for the upper flow of the Hron river. Despite suffering a damaged engine, it repulsed all German attack. It was pulled to Harmanec, where it was abandoned in a railway tunnel, the crew fighting on as a partisan detachment.