Ljubo Novaković

Who was Ljubo Novaković?

Ljubo Novaković was a Serbian brigadier-general active in the Royal Yugoslav Army who was later a figure in the Chetnik resistance. After the Invasion of Yugoslavia in April 1941 he was confined to a military hospital in Valjevo within occupied Serbia. He fled in late May and by June was at Ravna Gora, the headquarters of the Yugoslav Army in the Fatherland Chetnik force led by Draža Mihailović. Novaković subsequently left Ravna Gora and attached himself to the rival Chetniks of Kosta Pećanac. He was stationed in Šumadija for several months before abandoning Pećanac's forces in September 1941 due to their collaboration with the Axis.

Novaković reappeared in eastern Bosnia within the Independent State of Croatia. He was captured by Yugoslav Partisans in January 1942 and taken to the Partisan-liberated town of Foča. Novaković later came into contact with British Major Terence Atherton who had arrived at Partisan headquarters as part of Operation Hydra. After dining with Vladimir Velebit on the evening of April 15, Atherton and his crew secretly left Foča, taking Novaković with them. They subsequently parted ways on April 22.

Novaković later operated in Montenegro, reported by Petar Baćović to be at Bjelopavlići plain in later 1942. He was killed in Montenegro in late 1943.