Battle of Jaworow
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Jaworów was a World War II
battle held from the 14th to the 16th of September 1939. The battle was fought by the Germans and elements of the Polish "Małopolska" Army which were trying to force their way to Lwów.
, the 38th Infantry Division, 11th Infantry Division also known as the "Carpathian," and 24th Infantry Division
were advancing toward the forests near Janów (present day Ivano-Frankov) to enter Lwów.
Under the command of Colonel Bronisław Prugar-Ketling, the Carpathian Infantry Division was advancing on the left flank, formed into two columns. The 1st column consisted of the 49th Hutsul Rifle Regiment
and the 53rd Riflemen of Kresy Regiment were marching in the vanguard. The other column, approaching from a different direction, was made up of the 48th Riflemen of Kresy Regiment. A night attack was planned for the division to take over the western edge of the forest. Meanwhile, the 38th ID was attacking on the right flank from two different directions in the north. The regiment of SS-Standarte Germania (predecessor of SS Wiking), a mechanized unit, and 1st Mountain Division were defending against the attack.
. The Polish infantry took a part of the forest and the villages of Szumlaki and Ozmola. At 2100, Muzylowice was captured. The Germans lost a significant number of men, artillery, tractors and cars. However, because the infantry units did not have any extra crews trained to man the captured equipment, the booty was destroyed. The German losses were so significant that one of three battalion
s making up the SS-Standarte Germania ceased to exist, and most of the heavy equipment that did belong to the entire regiment SS-Standarte Germania was destroyed. The Polish generals, upon inspection, later on, were surprised how much equipment was destroyed and how much was captured still in operational condition.
In the meantime, the 48th Infantry Regiment attacked and took Rozgozno; several POWs were taken, 6 AT cannons, a battery of light artillery, and straight trucks. Later, the very regiment took over Czerczyk and the hunting lodge where the road from Jaworów
, did split to Sądowa Wisznia and Przyłbice.
The 38th Regiment entered the combat with a delay because of the heavy bombardment and bad coordination of the rear elements of the 24th Regiment. The Tabor of the 24th inadvertandly was left in the way of the advancing 38th Regiment. Only by 2100 Czarnokonce and Rodatycze were taken. The Germans put a tough resistance only in the village Hartfeld; however, two Polish battalions succeeded in taking of the village. Some POW's were taken and trucks, fuel trucks, and other captured equipment was destroyed. The 98th Regiment without halting continued to attack and reached Dobrostany.
In the Northern direction, the Poles achieved a decisive victory. The German commander of the 14th Army pulled the SS Germania from the battle because it suffered heavily losses as well as lost majority of its vehicles and heavy equipment. In the South, however, the German Group "Utz" from the 1. Mountain Division held their positions.
In the secondary main push, the 24th Division of Infantry, after an all-night march, reached the forest north from Moloszkowicze.
On the 16th September, the Germans recreated the rear reinforcement formations. The commander of the 1st Mountain Division formed a new combat group "Pemsel." "Pemsel" was to cut off the route to Lviv
. The very ops group attacked in the direction of Dobrostany and Jaryn. A Polish Infnatry Battalion did successful repel the German counter-attack at Dobrostany destroying several heavy cannons and armored cars. However, the 38. ID got spread too thinly doring the initial attack, lost contact with her own compnent parts, and based on the wrong picture of the battle field wrong decisions were made by the commander. In spite of that, 6 battalions of the 38. ID made it to Janow
.
General Kazimierz Sosnkowski
set up his HQ in the forests near Berdyczow and told his forces to focus their defensive efforts on the western flank.
Looking on the hind sight, General Sosenkowski did write that the success of the Polish Infnatry in the very battle was due to, at least from his perspective, those were the best organized, commanded, and trained Polish infnatry divisions within the entire Southern Front
.
, and a few successfully crossed trough the so-called Hungarian Bridgehead (named after the Romanian Bridgehead
was cut off by the Soviets) and made it either to France or Great Britain continuing to fight in 1940 in France and later alongside the British Commonwealth forces.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
battle held from the 14th to the 16th of September 1939. The battle was fought by the Germans and elements of the Polish "Małopolska" Army which were trying to force their way to Lwów.
Before the Battle
Under orders from General Kazimierz SosnkowskiKazimierz Sosnkowski
Kazimierz Sosnkowski was a Polish independence fighter, politician and Polish Army general.-Life:Sosnkowski served successively as founder and first commander of Związek Walki Czynnej , chief of staff of the 1st Brigade of the Polish Legions, Polish minister of military affairs, vice-president of...
, the 38th Infantry Division, 11th Infantry Division also known as the "Carpathian," and 24th Infantry Division
24th Infantry Division (Poland)
Polish 24th Infantry Division was a unit of the Polish Army in the interbellum period, which took part in the Polish September Campaign. The Division was created in 1921, and its first commandants were: General Jan Hempel , General Waclaw Scewola-Wieczorkiewicz, Colonel Boleslaw Maria Krzyzanowski...
were advancing toward the forests near Janów (present day Ivano-Frankov) to enter Lwów.
Under the command of Colonel Bronisław Prugar-Ketling, the Carpathian Infantry Division was advancing on the left flank, formed into two columns. The 1st column consisted of the 49th Hutsul Rifle Regiment
49th Hutsul Rifle Regiment
The 49th Hutsul Rifle Regiment was a unit of the Polish Army, which belonged to the 11th Carpathian Infantry Division . Stationed in the interbellum in the garrison in Kolomyja, it participated in the Polish September Campaign, fighting in southern Poland...
and the 53rd Riflemen of Kresy Regiment were marching in the vanguard. The other column, approaching from a different direction, was made up of the 48th Riflemen of Kresy Regiment. A night attack was planned for the division to take over the western edge of the forest. Meanwhile, the 38th ID was attacking on the right flank from two different directions in the north. The regiment of SS-Standarte Germania (predecessor of SS Wiking), a mechanized unit, and 1st Mountain Division were defending against the attack.
The Battle
The battle started with an engagement initiated by the 49th battalionBattalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
. The Polish infantry took a part of the forest and the villages of Szumlaki and Ozmola. At 2100, Muzylowice was captured. The Germans lost a significant number of men, artillery, tractors and cars. However, because the infantry units did not have any extra crews trained to man the captured equipment, the booty was destroyed. The German losses were so significant that one of three battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s making up the SS-Standarte Germania ceased to exist, and most of the heavy equipment that did belong to the entire regiment SS-Standarte Germania was destroyed. The Polish generals, upon inspection, later on, were surprised how much equipment was destroyed and how much was captured still in operational condition.
In the meantime, the 48th Infantry Regiment attacked and took Rozgozno; several POWs were taken, 6 AT cannons, a battery of light artillery, and straight trucks. Later, the very regiment took over Czerczyk and the hunting lodge where the road from Jaworów
Yavoriv
Yavoriv is a city located in the Lviv Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Yavoriv Raion and rests approximately 50 km west of the oblast capital, Lviv....
, did split to Sądowa Wisznia and Przyłbice.
The 38th Regiment entered the combat with a delay because of the heavy bombardment and bad coordination of the rear elements of the 24th Regiment. The Tabor of the 24th inadvertandly was left in the way of the advancing 38th Regiment. Only by 2100 Czarnokonce and Rodatycze were taken. The Germans put a tough resistance only in the village Hartfeld; however, two Polish battalions succeeded in taking of the village. Some POW's were taken and trucks, fuel trucks, and other captured equipment was destroyed. The 98th Regiment without halting continued to attack and reached Dobrostany.
In the Northern direction, the Poles achieved a decisive victory. The German commander of the 14th Army pulled the SS Germania from the battle because it suffered heavily losses as well as lost majority of its vehicles and heavy equipment. In the South, however, the German Group "Utz" from the 1. Mountain Division held their positions.
In the secondary main push, the 24th Division of Infantry, after an all-night march, reached the forest north from Moloszkowicze.
On the 16th September, the Germans recreated the rear reinforcement formations. The commander of the 1st Mountain Division formed a new combat group "Pemsel." "Pemsel" was to cut off the route to Lviv
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
. The very ops group attacked in the direction of Dobrostany and Jaryn. A Polish Infnatry Battalion did successful repel the German counter-attack at Dobrostany destroying several heavy cannons and armored cars. However, the 38. ID got spread too thinly doring the initial attack, lost contact with her own compnent parts, and based on the wrong picture of the battle field wrong decisions were made by the commander. In spite of that, 6 battalions of the 38. ID made it to Janow
Janów
Janów is a very common placenames in Poland. It may refer to:* Janów Lubelski - town in Poland* Janów Poleski - the Polish name for Ivanava, a town in Belarus...
.
General Kazimierz Sosnkowski
Kazimierz Sosnkowski
Kazimierz Sosnkowski was a Polish independence fighter, politician and Polish Army general.-Life:Sosnkowski served successively as founder and first commander of Związek Walki Czynnej , chief of staff of the 1st Brigade of the Polish Legions, Polish minister of military affairs, vice-president of...
set up his HQ in the forests near Berdyczow and told his forces to focus their defensive efforts on the western flank.
Looking on the hind sight, General Sosenkowski did write that the success of the Polish Infnatry in the very battle was due to, at least from his perspective, those were the best organized, commanded, and trained Polish infnatry divisions within the entire Southern Front
Polish Southern Front
The Southern Front was one of two fronts of the Polish Army created during the Polish Defensive War of 1939 against the allied forces of Nazi Germany and Soviet Union. It was established on September 12 out of the Polish Armies Karpaty and Kraków, as well as several military units created behind...
.
Poles
One day after the battle, the Soviets invaded Poland from the east. Breaking through to Lviv became unrealistic, since Lviv was encircled by the united forces of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Some of the soldiers went POW in German and Soviet POW camps, some were executed by the Soviets, some participated in the battles around LublinLublin
Lublin is the ninth largest city in Poland. It is the capital of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 350,392 . Lublin is also the largest Polish city east of the Vistula river...
, and a few successfully crossed trough the so-called Hungarian Bridgehead (named after the Romanian Bridgehead
Romanian Bridgehead
The Romanian Bridgehead was an area in southeastern Poland, now located in Ukraine. During the Polish Defensive War of 1939 , on September 14 the Polish Commander in Chief Marshal of Poland Edward Rydz-Śmigły ordered all Polish troops fighting east of the Vistula to withdraw towards Lwów, and...
was cut off by the Soviets) and made it either to France or Great Britain continuing to fight in 1940 in France and later alongside the British Commonwealth forces.