First Mechanized Guard Brigade Croatia The Tigers T-Shirt

Croatia's First Mechanized Guard Brigade (Croatian: Prva mehanizirana gardijska brigada) - named "The Tigers" - was the most elite and best equipped military brigade of the Croatian Army. It served with distinction during the Croatian War of Independence as one of the most recognizable military units in former Yugoslavia. Its military base and HQ was in the Croatian capital of Zagreb, origin of most of the brigade's personnel. In 2008, the brigade was disbanded as such and reformed as a batallion of the Motorized Guard Brigade. It was initially formed on November 5, 1990 at the military base in Rakitje. It was formed from volunteers and elements of the Croatian Police (which was to form the basis for the new Croatian army). Initially, lack of equipment forced the unit to be a wholly Infantry brigade, but this was soon corrected and the unit became a Motorized Infantry brigade by September 1991, when major military operations in the war begun. It was the part of the Croatian National Guard, the predecessor of the Croatian Army, and was initially referred to as the 1st "A" Brigade.