Yes Rade is a male name. Rada is femine.

I have read now that my granfather was a comander of Duke Momcilo Djujic and that he fought the italian forces until they reached Italy

Where did you read this?

Duke Momcilo Djujic This is the nearest i can associate

Duke Momcilo Djujic Any help with the names of people serving under the above -
tHANKYOU

Andy,

I think that you should find first if Brinje and it's vicinity is definitive the place where your grandfather came from. You said that grandfather's "Glory Day" ("slava" in Serbian) was in November. There are a lot of "slava" in November. Did your grandfather go to the Ortodox church on that day. If so there could be a record about that. That is important information for Serbian genealogy, because it could more precisly locate the origins of the family.

If I understand your lastname is (in Serbian) Čulomović (pron. Chulomovic, ch as with chess). Searching Google I've found few of them with that surname. As it is very rare lastname maybe you should make contact with them, because it's possible that you belong to the same family. That lastname doesn't exist in Montenegro, and I'm not sure for Serbia too.

About Chetnics. There is a good book in English: Jozo Tomashevich, War and Revolution in Yugoslavia 1941-1945. The Chetniks, Stanford University Press, 1975.
All Chetnics which surrender to the Americans in spring 1945 where sent to the camp Palma Nova in Italy (try to find records about this camp). But be prepared to find nothing. If your grandfather was a commander in WWII, maybe he was scared for his life and that's why he changed lastname. But, on the other hand, if everybody stood at his presence, that suggests that he was well known and respectable man under that name. Dig more at home, there must be traces left.

Bogdan

Thanks Sergej / Bogdan, The link between Duke Momcilo Djujic was passed onto me from a priest. Unfortunately this is the only information he has.

Andy,

Like Bogdan says, try to get facts by looking at the archives first and keep oral links on a background unless they really are worth while.

I do understand what you say - I am just over impatient. I realise that these things that i am researching are not recorded like in the uk. I, like you suggested am now looking closer at home. I am again meeting with a priest this Sunday to look at the original records from when the church was built in 1950. Hopefully these will record when he celebrited his Slava. An older priest suggested again that I look into the records of the Draza Mihailovivics Combatants Association. All records however appear now to be held by Ravne Gore in London who have yet to reply. I have also been in contact with a lady from Roots web.com she is also helping.
I have attached the paperwork from my grandfather to the association - please if you have time will you translate?

It says that your grandfather recieved 1,10 pounds as a contribution on August 1952.
According this there was a fund for members of Draza Mihailovics combatants assoc. and they were keaping records about all transactions. This one is recorded at page 25, N. 54/- of the register.
Signature: Dus. Dj. Grujic, treasurer for district Beverne.

One more thing. Your Grandfather is sign as M. Ćulumović (not Chulumović as I thought). The first and the last character in the surname are the same one - ć (I hope can see it in your browser).

Bogdan

Interesting, the other scans I saw had it the first letter with Č and not ć. Wonder if its a mistake.

Hi Sergej interestingly we have traced one of my grandfather's friends cousin as being still being alive. Although he was twenty years younger and did not knowm by grandfather before ww2 he did know him well over in this country. Unfortunately he said that my grandfather never spoke about previous life he did say that my grandfather actually lived in Bosnia. This fits in with a photograph depicting a group of Chetniks from the Pozega regiment from the internet which clearly shows my grandfather. Is there any people over in the Balkans that research at a financial charge family history etc which could help me on this roundabout? - Andy

Andy,

We as a society do not endorse private researchers. There are too many eyes and hooks and we can't garantuee anything. You could contact the archives in Republika Srpska and see what they have there. Also talk with that friend and get as much info as possible e.g. does he know the Family Saint?
Pictures anything he has can help.

Hi Sergej - a quick update... I am following up the Bosnian connection whhich at last I feel is correct and not grasping straws. I have been speaking with someone in Zagreb quite a lot and he has very kindly researched the Culumovic name and found that there are eight Culumovic's in the Bosnian phonebook all located around Obudovac - All are Serbian. He has given me email addresses for a local youth centre where he feels someone should speak English so I have contacted and waiting to here. I did have quite a shock when I went onto Obudovac's website. I opened the gallery and one of the first pictures was of a young lady - yes surname Culumovic! - Andy

Hi again - I have shown my parents photo's from places around Obudovac and they feel that the countryside matches the place they visited. I have emailed a youth centre ther but have not got any reply - Possibly they cannot read my English. Please would you reply to me in Serbian the following - I am reserching family name Culumovic from Bosnia. My grandfather's name was Maksim Culumovic, he had a wife Stojanka and at least one daughter Zorka. I am now sure that he lived in a small village in the region of Obudovac any information would be greatly appreciated. - Andy