Wielkopolska Cavalry Brigade

Wielkopolska Cavalry Brigade (Polish: Wielkopolska Brygada Kawalerii) was a cavalry unit of the Polish Army in the interbellum period. It was created on April 1, 1937 out of the Cavalry Brigade "Poznań". Its headquarters were stationed in Poznań and the brigade consisted of these units:

Polish September Campaign

The Brigade, under General Roman Abraham, was part of the Poznań Army. On the first day of the Polish September Campaign, its forces counterattacked the Wehrmacht in the area of Leszno and Rawicz, together with the 25th Infantry Division. On September 2, 1939, parts of the Brigade broke into territory of Germany, attacking Fraustadt and destroying a column of German vehicles. In the following days, the Brigade, together with the whole Poznań Army, withdrew eastwards from Greater Poland. On September 8, 1939, the cavalrymen covered eastern wing of the Army, during the outbreak of the Battle of the Bzura.[1]:66 In the night of September 9–10, 1939, the Brigade attacked the enemy, with initial successes of the 17th Regiment of Greater Poland Uhlans and the 15th Regiment of Poznań Uhlans. However, soon afterwards German defense stiffened and the Brigade halted. On September 11, together with 11th Infantry Division, the Brigade attacked Głowno, facing German 24th I.D. under General Friedrich Olbricht. As Polish momentum weakened, the Brigade was on September 13 ordered to withdraw across the Bzura near Brochow, continuously fighting the German 4th Mountain Division of General Georg Reinhardt. Skirmishes lasted until September 16, then the Brigade retreated into the Kampinos Forest. There, together with Pomeranian Cavalry Brigade and Podolska Cavalry Brigade, it created the Joint Cavalry Brigade of General Abraham. On September 18, the unit fought off attack of German 29th Motorised Division of General Joachim Lemelsen. Two days later it broke into besieged Warsaw, where it capitulated on September 28, 1939.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Zaloga, S.J., 2002, Poland 1939, Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd., ISBN 9781841764085
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