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Polish cavalry running through a bombed town during the Polish Defence War of 1939At the outbreak of the Polish Defence War of 1939, the Polish cavalry units were organised in 11 cavalry brigades, each composed of 3 to 4 cavalry regiments with organic artillery, armoured unit and infantry battalion. Two additional brigades had recently been converted to motorized and armoured units, but they retained their cavalry traditions. In addition, every infantry division had an organic cavalry detachment used for reconnaissance.

In contrast with its traditional role in armed conflicts of the past (even in the Polish-Bolshevik War), the cavalry was no longer seen as a unit capable of breaking through enemy lines. Instead, it was used as a mobile reserve of the Polish armies and was using mostly infantry tactics: the soldiers dismounted before the battle and fought as a standard (yet fast) infantry. Technically speaking, in 1939 Poland had 11 brigades of mounted infantry and no units of cavalry as such.

Although the cavalrymen retained their sabres, after 1937 the lance was dropped and it was issued to cavalrymen as a weapon of choice only. Instead, the cavalry units were equipped with modern armament, including 75mm guns, tankettes, 37mm AT guns, 40mm AA guns, anti-tank rifles and other pieces of modern weaponry.

During the campaign, the brigades were distributed among the Polish armies and served as mobile reserves. In this role, the Polish cavalry proved itself a successful measure in filling the gaps in the front and covering the withdrawal of friendly units. Polish cavalry units took part in most of the battles of 1939 and on several occasions proved to be the elite of the Polish Army.

After the September Campaign, the Polish Army on Western Front continues its pre-war tradition of uhlan's regiments giving their names to armoured units, while Army on Eastern Front used cavalry as mobile infantry until end of war.

Cavalry Charges and Propaganda

 18th Pomeranian Uhlans RegimentApart 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 Uhlans Regiment met a large group of German infantry resting in a 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 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 clearly stated that the Pomeranian Brigade had charged on German tanks with swords and lances. Although such a charge did not happen and there were no tanks used during the combat, the myth was used by German propaganda during the war. After the end of World War II it was still used 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.

Other cavalry charges of 1939 were as follows:

September 1 - Battle of Mokra - 19th Volhynian Uhlans Regiment took by surprise the elements of German 4th Panzer Division, which retreated in panic. During the charge, lances were used.

September 1 - Battle of Janów - 11th Polish Legions' Uhlans Regiment on a recce mission encountered a similar unit of German cavalry. Lieut. Kossakowski ordered a cavalry charge, but the enemy did not accept the battle and after a short clash the Germans withdrew towards their positions.

September 2 - Battle of Borowa Góra - 1st squadron of the 19th Volhynian Uhlans Regiment encountered a squadron of German cavalry in the village of Borowa. A charge was ordered, but the Germans withdrew.

September 11 - Osuchowo - 1st squadron of the 20th Uhlans Regiment charging through[1] the lines of German infantry in order to avoid encirclement. Negligible losses on both sides, the Poles broke through.

September 12 - Kałuszyn - 4th squadron of the 11th Polish Legions Uhlans Regiment charged overnight at the German positions in the town of Kaluszyn. Despite the fact that the charge was an effect of a mistake (the Polish infantry commander issued a wrong order which was understood as a charge order while the cavalry was meant to simply move forward), it was a success. With heavy casualties on both sides, the town was retaken in the early morning.

September 13 - Mińsk Mazowiecki - 1st squadron of the 2nd Grochów Uhlans Regiment charged German infantry positions, but was repelled by German MG fire and artillery.

September 13 - Maliszewo - 1st squadron of the 27th Uhlans Regiment was engaged in heavy fighting in the vicinity of the village of Maliszewo. After the Germans were beaten and started to retreat towards the village, the Poles charged, took the village and large number of German prisoners of war.

September 15 - Brochowo - elements of the 17th Greater Polish Uhlans Regiment charged towards the German positions to impose fear[citation needed] on the German infantry. However, soon before reaching the range of enemy weapons, the uhlans dismounted and continued their attack as infantry. The assault was successful.

September 16 - Dembowskie - a platoon from the 4th squadron of the 17th Greater Polish Uhlans Regiment charged towards a small German outpost located around a foresters' hut. The small number of Germans withdrew.

September 19 - Battle of Wólka Węglowa - Most of the 14th Jazłowiec Uhlans Regiment (without MGs and AT platoon) was ordered to probe the German forces near the town of Wólka Węglowa. After elements of 9th Lesser Polish Uhlans Regiment joined, the group was ordered to charge through the German lines to open the way towards Warsaw and Modlin for the rest of Polish forces withdrawing from the Battle of Bzura. The Poles charged through the German artillery barrage and took the German infantry by surprise[1]. Polish losses were high (205 killed and wounded), the German losses remain unknown, but the Polish unit broke through and was the first to reach Warsaw after the Battle of Bzura.

September 19 - Łomianki - recce squad of 6th Mounted Artillery Detachment charged through the German lines in the town of Lomianki and paved the way for the rest of the unit to Warsaw.

September 21 - Battle of Kamionka Strumiłowa - 3rd squadron of the 1st Mounted Detachment (improvised) charged through German infantry preparing to assault the Polish positions. The preparations were paralysed and the Germans withdrew.

September 23 - Krasnobród - 1st squadron of the 25th Greater Polish Uhlans Regiment charged towards the town of Krasnobród. With heavy casualties, the Uhlans reached the hill on top of which the town was located. A unit of German organic cavalry from the German 8th Infantry Division counter-charged from the hill, but was repelled and the Poles captured the town and took the HQ of the division, together with its commander and ca. 100 German soldiers. 40 Polish combatants previously taken prisoner by the Germans were freed.

September 24 - Husynne - reserve squadron of the 14th Jazlowiec Uhlans Regiment (some 500 sabres), reinforced with an improvised cavalry unit of the police and some remnants of divisional organic cavalry, was ordered to break through the Soviet infantry surrounding the Polish positions in the village of Husynne. The charge was lead by the mounted police, and the Soviet forces withdrew in panic. However, soon the attack was stopped by a strong Soviet tank unit. Casualties similar on both sides.

September 26 - Morańce - 27th Uhlans Regiment charged a dug-in German infantry battalion in the village of Morańce twice. Both charges were repelled with heavy casualties (Poles lost 20 KIA and circa 50 WIA, German losses remain unknown). After the second charge the Germans sent an envoy with a white flag and, after a short discussion with the Polish commander of the Nowogródek Cavalry Brigade, the Germans withdrew.

üdv: TGR

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