Poland in WWII

[dragoon500ly]

I know its dated, but is intresting just how big a role Poland played in WWII in spite of being conquered in 1939....

Following the surrender, those Polish soldiers who did not intern themselves in Hungary and Romania made their way to France. From this, and with the enlistment of Polish citizens already living outside the country, they rebuilt the Polish Army.

The first unit to be organized was a Mountain Brigade (1st Independent Highland Brigade) intended to join the Allied forces being sent to aid Finland. When the Finns stuck a bargain with the Russians, the brigade was diverted to join the Norwegian campaign and served mostly around Narvik in 1940.

At the outbreak of the German Offensive in May, 1940, two Polish Infantry Divisions (1st and 2nd) were serving at the front and two additional Infantry Divisions (the 3rd and 4th) were in the process of being equipped by the French. A Cavalry Brigade (the 10th) was also being formed.

The 1st Polish Grenadier Division was badly cut up serving as the rearguard for French forces retreating from the Saar region. The 2nd Polish Rifle Division retreated into Switzerland with other French troops and was interned there. The 3rd Polish Rifle Divison and 10th Polish Mechanized Cavalry Brigade were destroyed in the Battle of France and the 4th Polish Rifle Divison managed to make it to a port for evacuation to England.

The fall of France meant that those Polish troops escaping from internment in Hungary and Romania had nowhere to go. The escape route they used ran through the French-controlled territories of Syria and Lebanon and a Polish formation was established in Lebanon. With the fall of France, this unit (the Carpathian Brigade) made its way into Palestine and came under British control. It was retrained and requipped as a British infantry brigade and served with the Eighth Army from Operation Crusader on. As additional Polish troops, newly released from captivity in the Soviet Union, the brigade was withdrawn and used to help form the II Polish Corps.

As plans were made to release Polish POWs captured by the Russians, the Germans released the news that the Soviets had murdered Polish officers at Katyn. In outrage over the Soviet program to behead the Polish people by the murders of the military and political leadership, the Free Polish Government-in-exile (in London) cut all ties with the Soviet Union and ordered all troops in Russia to leave.

The Soviets quickly responded by setting up their own Polish Government-in-exile and formed its own Polish Army. The Polish POWs still under Russian control were given the choice of fighting for the Russians or remain in the POW camps until the end of the war. The Russians fielded:

First Army
1st Infantry Division
2nd Infantry Division
3rd Infantry Division
4th Infantry Division
6th Infantry Divison
1st Armored Brigade
13th Tank Destroyer Regiment
4th Heavy Tank Regiment
13th Armored Artillery Regiment
2nd Howitzer Brigade
1st Mortar Brigade
25th SP Artillery Regiment
1st Independent Cavalry Brigade

Second Army
5th Infantry Division
7th Infantry Division
8th Infantry Division
9th Infantry Division
10th Infantry Division
16th Armored Brigade
24th Tan Destroyer Regiment
26th Antiaircraft Regiment

While Soviets were busy organizing their Polish Army, the II Polish Corps, reequipped by the British, were committed to action in Italy.

II Polish Corps
3rd Carpathian Infantry Divsion
5th Kresowa Infantry Division
2nd Independent Armored Brigade (later the 2nd Armored Division)
Carpathian Lancers (recce regiment)
2nd Polish Commando
7th Horse Artillery Regiment
9th Field Artillery Regiment
10th Medium Artillery Regiment
11th Medium Artillery Regiment
7th Antitank Regiment (SP)

The Polish forces which fled to England in 1940 soon found themselves reorganzied into two new formations, the 1st Armored Division and the 1st Parachute Brigade. The 1st Polish Armored Division fought with the First Canadian Army. The 1st Polish Airborne Brigade had been raised for a proposed airdrop on Warsaw, which was never carried out. It found its moment of glory during its participation in Operation Market Garden.

Not too shabby for a country that 'gave up' in 1939!