27th Infantry Division (Poland)
Encyclopedia
The 27 Infantry Division (Polish: 27 Dywizja Piechoty), was a unit of the Polish Army in the interbellum period
. It was created on 18 October 1920, as a result of reorganization of the Army, from units of the 2nd I.D., 3rd I.D., and 13th I.D. Its headquarters were located in Kowel, with units stationed in other Volhynia
n towns, such as Lutsk
, Sarny
and Wlodzimierz Wolynski. Division's first commandant was General Gustaw Kuchinka.
, as part of the Pomorze Army
.
On 1 September 1939 (see: Polish September Campaign) the Division was ordered to march towards Toruń
. The next day it engaged in heavy fights with the advancing Wehrmacht
. On the third day of the war, it was cut off from the Pomorze Army after bloody fights around Terespol Pomorski and Świecie
. The Germans managed to destroy the bulk of the unit in a battle waged in forests around Wierzchucin. Remaining parts of the Division managed to reach Bydgoszcz and later Toruń. There, the Division was moved to the rear to reorganize and recuperate.
On 6 September, the Division, renamed into Operational Group of General Drapella and strengthened by reserve units including the 208th Infantry Regiment from Inowrocław and National Defence Battalion Starogard, was ordered to defend Toruń from west. The next day, it began a retreat towards Warsaw
, covering the main forces of the Pomorze Army. During the following days, it helped Polish units fighting in the Battle of the Bzura
, engaging the Wehrmacht around Solec Kujawski
(7–8 September), Włocławek and Brześć Kujawski
(9–12 September). Withdrawing towards southeast, it attacked a German outpost near Płock, but without success.
On 16 September, the Group was ordered to march towards Gąbin
, but was attacked by the Luftwaffe
and German ground forces. The Group was destroyed. Separate smaller groups of soldiers managed to break to the besieged fortress of Modlin. Other survivors made it to Warsaw.
and it was the biggest partisan unit in Central Europe with 7,300 soldiers.
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
. It was created on 18 October 1920, as a result of reorganization of the Army, from units of the 2nd I.D., 3rd I.D., and 13th I.D. Its headquarters were located in Kowel, with units stationed in other Volhynia
Volhynia
Volhynia, Volynia, or Volyn is a historic region in western Ukraine located between the rivers Prypiat and Southern Bug River, to the north of Galicia and Podolia; the region is named for the former city of Volyn or Velyn, said to have been located on the Southern Bug River, whose name may come...
n towns, such as Lutsk
Lutsk
Lutsk is a city located by the Styr River in northwestern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Volyn Oblast and the administrative center of the surrounding Lutskyi Raion within the oblast...
, Sarny
Sarny
Sarny translated as Deer, is a small city in the Rivne Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Sarny Raion , and is a major railway node on the Sluch River.The current estimated population is 27,700....
and Wlodzimierz Wolynski. Division's first commandant was General Gustaw Kuchinka.
Participation in Polish September Campaign
The Division, under General Juliusz Drapella, was mobilized between 14 and 16 August 1939. In the following days it was transported by rail to the area of Bydgoszcz and Inowrocław, and finally, by 27 August, it was placed southwest of Starogard GdańskiStarogard Gdanski
Starogard Gdański is a town in Eastern Pomerania in northwestern Poland with 48,328 inhabitants...
, as part of the Pomorze Army
Pomorze Army
The Pomeranian Army was one of the Polish armies to take part in the Polish Defensive War of 1939. It was officially created on March 23, 1939. Led by Gen.dyw...
.
On 1 September 1939 (see: Polish September Campaign) the Division was ordered to march towards Toruń
Torun
Toruń is an ancient city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population is more than 205,934 as of June 2009. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus....
. The next day it engaged in heavy fights with the advancing Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
. On the third day of the war, it was cut off from the Pomorze Army after bloody fights around Terespol Pomorski and Świecie
Swiecie
Świecie is a town in northern Poland with 25,968 inhabitants , situated in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship ; it was previously in Bydgoszcz Voivodeship . It is the capital of Świecie County.-History:...
. The Germans managed to destroy the bulk of the unit in a battle waged in forests around Wierzchucin. Remaining parts of the Division managed to reach Bydgoszcz and later Toruń. There, the Division was moved to the rear to reorganize and recuperate.
On 6 September, the Division, renamed into Operational Group of General Drapella and strengthened by reserve units including the 208th Infantry Regiment from Inowrocław and National Defence Battalion Starogard, was ordered to defend Toruń from west. The next day, it began a retreat towards Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, covering the main forces of the Pomorze Army. During the following days, it helped Polish units fighting in the Battle of the Bzura
Battle of the Bzura
The Battle of the Bzura was a battle in the opening campaign of World War II during the 1939 German invasion of Poland, fought between 9 and 19 September, 1939, between Polish and German forces...
, engaging the Wehrmacht around Solec Kujawski
Solec Kujawski
Solec Kujawski is a town with 15,505 inhabitants and an area of 176 km², situated 14 kilometres southeast of Bydgoszcz in Poland at . Solec Kujawski belongs to the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship...
(7–8 September), Włocławek and Brześć Kujawski
Brzesc Kujawski
Brześć Kujawski is a town in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Population - 4,521 , Poland.It has been the seat of one of two small duchies into which Kuyavia has been temporarily divided....
(9–12 September). Withdrawing towards southeast, it attacked a German outpost near Płock, but without success.
On 16 September, the Group was ordered to march towards Gąbin
Gabin
Gąbin is a small town in Płock County, Masovian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,230 inhabitants . It is an ancient town, having been founded in the 13th century.-Current events:...
, but was attacked by the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
and German ground forces. The Group was destroyed. Separate smaller groups of soldiers managed to break to the besieged fortress of Modlin. Other survivors made it to Warsaw.
Recreation in 1944
In early 1944, the Division was recreated as Polish 27th Home Army Infantry DivisionPolish 27th Home Army Infantry Division
27 Volhynian Infantry Division was the World War II Polish Armia Krajowa unit fighting in 1944 in Volhynia region. It was recreated on January 15, 1944 from smaller partisan units of self-defence during the Volhynia massacre and was patterned after the prewar Polish 27th Infantry Division.-...
and it was the biggest partisan unit in Central Europe with 7,300 soldiers.