You might want to post this in another of the forums like the WWII General or Battle for Europe forums. The Uhlans arent exactly a WWII weapon LOL
Otto,Mussolini,Slipdigit,Skipper,Kai-Petri,Erich,Stefan. They all have little yellow flags by thier names .
Very brave. But ultimately did not slow down the Geman advance much. Details about Polish cavalry during the 1939 campaign. Originally posted at http://mops.uci.agh.edu.pl/~rzepinsk/1939/html/cav.htm Polish cavalry moved using horses but fought using infantry tactics. The formation was equipped with machineguns, 75mm horse guns, 37mm Bofors anti-tank guns, a small number of Bofors 40mm anti-air guns and also the small number of anti-tank "Ur 1935" rifles. A cavalryman also had a sabre and a lance but these weapons were generally left with horses. The most effective battle of Polish cavalry was Mokra battle, where Wolynska cavalry brigade, supported with a armored train stopped and caused big losses to 4th Panzer division (about 50 tanks and 500-800 troops). Cavalry charges in Polish Campaign: Sep 1st '39: Krojanty 18th Pomorski regiment stopped 2nd Motorized division advance with a charge. Polish commander: col. Kazimierz Mastalerz and about 20 men died. German losses are unknown. This episode is described in Guderian book (he had to intervene in motorised division to prevent it from retreating). Sep 1st '39: Mokra 1st and 2nd squadron of 19th Wolynski regiment charged Grodzisko forest Sep 11th '39 Osuchow 1st squadron of 20th cav regiment was encircled and escaped with a succesful charge Sep 13th '39 Maliszew 1st squadron of 27th regiment charged. The charge was stopped by heavy machinegun fire. The attack was continued on foot and was a success. Sep 19th '39 Wolka Weglowa The most spectacular: 14th Jazlowiecki and a part of 9th Malopolski regiment charged. About 100 cavalrymen were killed but the charge opened the way for encircled "Poznan" army to Warsaw. This charge was descibed with the admire by Italian correspondent. Sep 21st '39 Kamionka Strumilowa Sep 23rd '39 Krasnobrod 1st squadron of 25th Wielkopolski regiment. Only 30 Polish cavalrymen survived but the city was taken and German 8th Infantry division headquarters imprisoned. Sep 25th or 26th '39 Husynne near Hrubieszow 400 cavalrymen of 14th reserve cavalry regiment + Police cavalry squadron successfuly charged a Red Army unit Here's the text sent by George Parada : "Perhaps the most vivid image to have emerged from the September Campaign is the picture of a squadron of courageously foolhardy Polish lancers charging a wave of steel Panzers. That such attack never occured does not sem to have diminished the popularity of these tales, even among serious historians. The tales originated in the first days of the campaign from the pens of Italian correspondents on the Pomeranian front. They were embesllished by German propagandists and became more fanciful with each new telling. The orginal source was a small skirmish near the hamlet of Krojanty on the evening of 1 September. The Pomeranian Corridor was defended by several Polish infantry divisions and the Pomeranian Cavalry Brigade. The area was indefensible, but the force was stationed to prevent the Germans from making an unopposed seizure of the contested Corridor, as they had the Sudetenland. Upon the outbreak of war these forces were immediately to withdraw southward. Covering the retreat was Col. Mastalerz with his 18th Lancers and a number of infantry regiments. In the early morning of 1 September, Gen. Heinz Guderian's 2nd and 20th Motorised Division began their drive on Polish forces in the Tuchola forest. The cavalry and infantry were able to hold them back until the early afternoon, when the Germans began to push the Poles back. By late afternoon a key rail and road junction through the forest was threatened and Mastalerz was ordered to repulse the German thrust at all costs. Mastalerz had his own regiment, some infantry and the Brigade's tankettes at his disposal. The TK tankettes were old and worn out, and were left with a portion of the regiment to hold the existing positions. Two Lancer squadrons mounted up and began to swing around the German flank to strike them in the rear. By early evening they had located a German infantry battalion exposed in a clearing. The squadrons were already within a few hundred yards, and a sabre charge seemed the sensible course. In moments the two squadrons had swept out of the woods and wiped out the unprepared with hardly any casaulties. As the troops were re-forming, a few German armoured cars equipped with automatic 20mm cannon and machine guns happened on the scene and immediately began firing. The Poles were completely exposed, and began to gallop for cover behind a nearby hillock. Mastalerz and his immediate staff were all killed, and the losses were terrible. The grim evidence of this encounter was discovered the following day by Italian war correspondents, who were told by German soldiers that it resulted from the cavalry having charged tanks and so the legend began. What has escaped attention was the fact that later that evening Guderian had to step in to prevent the 2nd Motorised Division from retreating 'in the face of intense cavalry pressure'. This intense pressure came from a decimated regiment which had lost 60 per cent of its strenght in the day's fighting and was not even a tenth of the size of the German unit it was pushing back." German propaganda used this event to create 'stupid Polish cavalry' myth which was believed by Germans (some soldiers even wrote in their memories that Poles used their sabres and lances agains tanks and explained that they thought the tanks were made of paper) and Poles. Propaganda films even showed "authentic" charges on tanks. It is presented even in post-war Polish "Lotna" film, created by famous in Poland Wajda director. This film made Polish veterams very angry. Why did Germans create the "stupid Polish cavalry" myth ? The propable explaination is they wanted to convince Western nations Poland was not a valuable ally. Such myths were made to prevent USA to make a serious protests and maybe prevent other nations to join the war. Polish cavalry during the 1939 campaign. Details about Polish cavalry during the 1939 campaign. Originally posted at http://mops.uci.agh.edu.pl/~rzepinsk/1939/html/cav.htm Polish cavalry moved using horses but fought using infantry tactics. The formation was equipped with machineguns, 75mm horse guns, 37mm Bofors anti-tank guns, a small number of Bofors 40mm anti-air guns and also the small number of anti-tank "Ur 1935" rifles. A cavalryman also had a sabre and a lance but these weapons were generally left with horses. The most effective battle of Polish cavalry was Mokra battle, where Wolynska cavalry brigade, supported with a armored train stopped and caused big losses to 4th Panzer division (about 50 tanks and 500-800 troops). Cavalry charges in Polish Campaign: Sep 1st '39: Krojanty 18th Pomorski regiment stopped 2nd Motorized division advance with a charge. Polish commander: col. Kazimierz Mastalerz and about 20 men died. German losses are unknown. This episode is described in Guderian book (he had to intervene in motorised division to prevent it from retreating). Sep 1st '39: Mokra 1st and 2nd squadron of 19th Wolynski regiment charged Grodzisko forest Sep 11th '39 Osuchow 1st squadron of 20th cav regiment was encircled and escaped with a succesful charge Sep 13th '39 Maliszew 1st squadron of 27th regiment charged. The charge was stopped by heavy machinegun fire. The attack was continued on foot and was a success. Sep 19th '39 Wolka Weglowa The most spectacular: 14th Jazlowiecki and a part of 9th Malopolski regiment charged. About 100 cavalrymen were killed but the charge opened the way for encircled "Poznan" army to Warsaw. This charge was descibed with the admire by Italian correspondent. Sep 21st '39 Kamionka Strumilowa Sep 23rd '39 Krasnobrod 1st squadron of 25th Wielkopolski regiment. Only 30 Polish cavalrymen survived but the city was taken and German 8th Infantry division headquarters imprisoned. Sep 25th or 26th '39 Husynne near Hrubieszow 400 cavalrymen of 14th reserve cavalry regiment + Police cavalry squadron successfuly charged a Red Army unit Here's the text sent by George Parada : "Perhaps the most vivid image to have emerged from the September Campaign is the picture of a squadron of courageously foolhardy Polish lancers charging a wave of steel Panzers. That such attack never occured does not sem to have diminished the popularity of these tales, even among serious historians. The tales originated in the first days of the campaign from the pens of Italian correspondents on the Pomeranian front. They were embesllished by German propagandists and became more fanciful with each new telling. The orginal source was a small skirmish near the hamlet of Krojanty on the evening of 1 September. The Pomeranian Corridor was defended by several Polish infantry divisions and the Pomeranian Cavalry Brigade. The area was indefensible, but the force was stationed to prevent the Germans from making an unopposed seizure of the contested Corridor, as they had the Sudetenland. Upon the outbreak of war these forces were immediately to withdraw southward. Covering the retreat was Col. Mastalerz with his 18th Lancers and a number of infantry regiments. In the early morning of 1 September, Gen. Heinz Guderian's 2nd and 20th Motorised Division began their drive on Polish forces in the Tuchola forest. The cavalry and infantry were able to hold them back until the early afternoon, when the Germans began to push the Poles back. By late afternoon a key rail and road junction through the forest was threatened and Mastalerz was ordered to repulse the German thrust at all costs. Mastalerz had his own regiment, some infantry and the Brigade's tankettes at his disposal. The TK tankettes were old and worn out, and were left with a portion of the regiment to hold the existing positions. Two Lancer squadrons mounted up and began to swing around the German flank to strike them in the rear. By early evening they had located a German infantry battalion exposed in a clearing. The squadrons were already within a few hundred yards, and a sabre charge seemed the sensible course. In moments the two squadrons had swept out of the woods and wiped out the unprepared with hardly any casaulties. As the troops were re-forming, a few German armoured cars equipped with automatic 20mm cannon and machine guns happened on the scene and immediately began firing. The Poles were completely exposed, and began to gallop for cover behind a nearby hillock. Mastalerz and his immediate staff were all killed, and the losses were terrible. The grim evidence of this encounter was discovered the following day by Italian war correspondents, who were told by German soldiers that it resulted from the cavalry having charged tanks and so the legend began. What has escaped attention was the fact that later that evening Guderian had to step in to prevent the 2nd Motorised Division from retreating 'in the face of intense cavalry pressure'. This intense pressure came from a decimated regiment which had lost 60 per cent of its strenght in the day's fighting and was not even a tenth of the size of the German unit it was pushing back." German propaganda used this event to create 'stupid Polish cavalry' myth which was believed by Germans (some soldiers even wrote in their memories that Poles used their sabres and lances agains tanks and explained that they thought the tanks were made of paper) and Poles. Propaganda films even showed "authentic" charges on tanks. It is presented even in post-war Polish "Lotna" film, created by famous in Poland Wajda director. This film made Polish veterams very angry. Why did Germans create the "stupid Polish cavalry" myth ? The propable explaination is they wanted to convince Western nations Poland was not a valuable ally. Such myths were made to prevent USA to make a serious protests and maybe prevent other nations to join the war.
Cavalryman and officer of the Polish 18th Uhlan RegimentWhich was started by Italian journalists and then successively embellished. Polish 18th Uhlan Regiment (Pomorska Cavalry Brigade) versus German 20th Motorised Division. Counterattack by Uhlans, out of the woods adjacent to Krojanty and Nowa Cerkiew, against the German Advance Guard to cover withdrawal of Polish Infantry deployed on that sector of the frontier. The attack began at 5pm, on the 01 September 1939: “… A broad wave of cavalry, consisting of 250 men, tore over the open field, sabres glinting in the sum; the German infantry, caught off guard, tried to save itself by pulling back. Suddenly, round a bend in the highway, a long column of tanks and motorised troops appeared. At first, in the heat of battle, it went unnoticed by the Uhlans. The Poles were then hit by a hail of fire from the armoured cars, and before they were even able to turn their horses, the carnage began… In the space of a few moments, half the Uhlans had been hit… With this cavalry charge at Krojanty on September 1, 1939, was born the legend of the Polish cavalry, armed only with sabres, challenging the German Panzers… …the Polish Uhlans were not bent on suicide… …nor was it a deliberate move on their part to launch a direct attack on tanks. Needless to say, there were several other cavalry attacks [in the campaign] on German infantry which led the Germans to call in tank reinforcements; what is more, there were some cases of Polish Cavalry being attacked by tanks.” From: The Cavalry of World War II (Janusz Piekalkiewicz). Apart from countless battles and skirmishes in which the Polish cavalry units used the infantry tactics, there were 16 confirmed cavalry charges during the 1939 war. Contrary to common belief, most of them were successful. The first of them, and perhaps the best known, happened on September 1, 1939, during the Battle of Krojanty. During the action, elements of the Polish 18th Uhlan Regiment met a large group of German infantry resting in the woods near the village of Krojanty. Colonel Mastalerz decided to take the enemy by surprise and immediately ordered a cavalry charge, a tactic the Polish cavalry rarely used as their main weapon. The charge was successful and the German infantry unit was dispersed. The same day, German war correspondents were brought to the battlefield together with two journalists from Italy. They were shown the battlefield, the corpses of Polish cavalrymen and their horses, alongside German tanks that had arrived at the field of battle only after the engagement. One of the Italian correspondents sent home an article, in which he described the bravery and heroism of Polish soldiers, who charged German tanks with their sabres and lances. Other possible source of the myth is a quote from Heinz Guderian’s memoirs, in which he asserted that the Pomeranian Brigade had charged on German tanks with swords and lances.[3] Although such a charge did not happen and there were no tanks used during the combat, the myth was disseminated by German propaganda during the war with a staged Polish cavalry charge shown in their 1941 reel called “Geschwader Lützow”. In that movie Luftwaffe Avia 534B trainer planes of Czech origin acted as Polish PZL-11 fighters. After the end of World War II the same fraud was again being disseminated by Soviet propaganda as an example of the stupidity of Polish commanders and authorities, who allegedly did not prepare their country for war and instead wasted the blood of their soldiers. POLISH CAVALRY MYTH « War and Game
Few pre-war videos with cavalery, polish footage, not german propaganda. Ofcorse lances were'nt in use in 1939. YouTube - Polska kawaleria I (Polish Cavalry I) YouTube - Polska kawaleria II (Polish Cavalry II) YouTube - Dywizjony artylerii konnej - 1939
the lance had been dropped as a weapon in 1935-6, correct me if i'm wrong. in 1939 polish calvary used carbines, 37mm at guns and licensed copies of the US BAR.
Some characteristics of combats of Wielkopolska (Greater Polish) and Podolska (Podolian) Cavalry Brigades which were parts of Army "Poznan" in 1939: From the book "Lance do boju" - a history of Greater Polish cavalry in period 960 - 1945: "(...) Fighting as part of Army "Poznan" both cavalry brigades were successfully completing combat tasks put to them, which was undoubtedly the merit of experienced commanders as well as well trained and valiant soldiers. (...) The entire combat road of Wielkopolska Cavalry Brigade, apart from temporary defence in the region of Glowno, consisted of offensive actions and consecutive attacks againt enemy forces blocking the withdrawal march to the East. For sure commander of the brigade - brigadier general dr Roman Abraham - was an extraordinary person. Enterprising, energetic and well oriented in rapidly changing conditions of a modern battlefield, he was able to overcome many a crisis also with personal example and bravery. Also commanders of units and most of officers and non-commissioned officers showed great initiative and determination. Often their daring, aimed at raising the fighting spirit, was the cause of heavy casualties among the officer corps, especially large during offensive actions. Average casualties in command cadre of individual regiments were around 20 officers. Morale of non-commissioned officers and soldiers was on high level. They showed many examples of bravery and will to fight against the invaders. General Abraham had a well-functioning headquarters with Major Grzeżułka on top. However, huge difficulties appeared in maintaining communication with the Army Command and with subordinated units. Radio communication, due to not best quality of equipment and chance of being being wiretapped by Germans was rarely used. Telephone communication was usually damaged (air bombings and sabotage actions), and cable communication could not perform its tasks during withdrawal operations. Due to these reasons mutual contact was being kept almost solely via liaison officers and runners equipped with available means of transport (motorized vehicles, horses). Near the roads crowded by civilian refugees use of runners was often causing belated delivery of orders from Army level. Situation with material and food supplies was very bad, just like sanitary evacuation. The railway transport practically ceased to exist during the first days of the campaign, and horse-drawn supply columns were barely keeping up with troops. Derived mostly from mobilization horse carts, moving across pathless tracts often had technical failures and was exposed to air attacks. While breaking through the Kampinos Forest, units often suffered from hunger and thirst. Also feeding and watering horses was a serious problem. To keep them in good condition, on which much depended, a cavalry regiment needed around 4 tons of provender daily. Stocks held on supply trains were quickly running out. Thus units had to thresh grain during the withdrawal (both for field bakeries and for provender for horses) and use peasant stocks. But the worst of all was situation with medical help and evacuation of the wounded. Lightly wounded were being taken by sanitary columns, while seriously wounded were being placed in hospitals of nearest towns, in houses of private persons or even left to be captured by Germans. In many cases medical service, despite dedication and self-sacrifice, was helpless, because there was shortage of medical resources. Despite of this, a considerable number of wounded could be evacuated from the Kampinos Forest and placed in hospitals of Warsaw. Ammunition columns were used for this purpose. Projectiles, which had been carried by tens of kilometers from Poznan, were buried, and their place was occupied by wounded. Despite insufficient feeding and enormous exhaustion, the will to fight against the invaders and discipline in units were so great, that only a few cases of desertion were noted, and units of Wielkopolska and Podolska Cavalry Brigades until the end of military operations maintained high discipline and organizational cohesion. (...)"
