Polish 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade
Encyclopedia
The Polish
10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade (Polish
10 Brygada Kawalerii Pancernej, French
10e Brigade blindée polonaise) was an armoured formation of the Polish Armed Forces in the West
. It was organized in France
during World War II
as part of the Polish Army in France, mostly by the veterans of the 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade who managed to escape from Nazi and Soviet occupied Poland. Led by general Stanisław Maczek, it took part in the Battle of France
of 1940. It was later recreated in Great Britain
as a part of the 1st Armoured Division.
.
After Poland
was defeated by Germany
in 1939, many Polish soldiers went to France to create a new army (the Polish Army in France
) to fight the Nazis. These forces were commanded by general Władysław Sikorski, who was also the prime minister of the Polish government in exile
. Unfortunately, French generals were not interested in Polish information about the campaign in Poland and German tactics of Blitzkrieg
. There was a general belief among the French High Command that the Polish armed forces were incompetent, and they also believed in the impregnability of the Maginot Line
. When General Maczek and his veterans tried to create a Polish mechanized division, they were not able to get the equipment necessary for training fast enough, so the new unit grew very slowly.
Everything changed, when Germany invaded France in 1940, by simply going around French fortifications. General Maczek's unit suddenly received all the equipment they had asked for, with one condition: they had to go into action immediately. That was impossible, because many Polish soldiers had no idea how to use the new equipment and there was no time for training. General Maczek decided to lead a small force of his best trained men, hoping that the rest of his unit would join them later. That small force was called the 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade (10 Brygada Kawalerii Pancernej) in honour of the "Black Brigade" from 1939. On June 6, 10th Brigade had one tank battalion, two strong motorized cavalry squadrons, one anti-tank battery and one anti-aircraft battery.
The brigade was attached to the French Fourth Army
near Reims
, and was ordered to cover its left flank. However, Maczek's unit was much too weak to successfully hold back full German armoured divisions. Polish soldiers managed only to cover one retreating French infantry division by attacking German forces in Champaubert-Montgivroux. Later the brigade had to withdraw with the rest of French troops, and joined the French XXIII Corps. On June 16 the brigade attacked, by night, the town of Montbard
over the Burgundy Canal. Maczek's soldiers completely surprised the Germans and took many prisoners.
The 10th Brigade was fighting alone by this time, with the French units on both flanks either routed or in retreat. There were no French forces to exploit that victory, and the decimated Polish unit found itself surrounded and without fuel. On June 18, General Maczek decided to destroy most of his equipment and to withdraw on foot. Later that day he had to split the remnants of his brigade into small groups, so they could pass through enemy lines. Many of Maczek's men, including the general himself, found their way to the United Kingdom
, where a Polish armoured unit was recreated, while others joined the Polish and French resistance organizations in France and Belgium.
The 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade was a small formation, but with an excellent fighting spirit. Most of its soldiers managed to get to Great Britain
, where the 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade was recreated as a part of General Maczek's 1st Armoured Division.
(see :pl:10 Brygada Kawalerii Pancernej (III RP)). It is now part of the 11th Armoured Cavalry Division
headquartered at Żagań
.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade (Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
10 Brygada Kawalerii Pancernej, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
10e Brigade blindée polonaise) was an armoured formation of the Polish Armed Forces in the West
Polish Armed Forces in the West
Polish Armed Forces in the West refers to the Polish military formations formed to fight alongside the Western Allies against Nazi Germany and its allies...
. It was organized in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
during World War II
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...
as part of the Polish Army in France, mostly by the veterans of the 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade who managed to escape from Nazi and Soviet occupied Poland. Led by general Stanisław Maczek, it took part in the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
of 1940. It was later recreated in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
as a part of the 1st Armoured Division.
1939-40
France and Poland had been allies in the leadup to World War II, concluding the Franco-Polish Military AllianceFranco-Polish Military Alliance
The Franco-Polish alliance was the military alliance between Poland and France that was active between 1921 and 1940.-Background:Already during the France-Habsburg rivalry that started in the 16th century, France had tried to find allies to the east of Austria, namely hoping to ally with Poland...
.
After Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
was defeated by Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1939, many Polish soldiers went to France to create a new army (the Polish Army in France
Polish Army in France
The term Polish Army in France might refer to the following units of the Polish Army:* Polish Legions in Italy of late 18th century/early 19th century fighting for Napoleon I...
) to fight the Nazis. These forces were commanded by general Władysław Sikorski, who was also the prime minister of the Polish government in exile
Polish government in Exile
The Polish government-in-exile, formally known as the Government of the Republic of Poland in Exile , was the government in exile of Poland formed in the aftermath of the Invasion of Poland of September 1939, and the subsequent occupation of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, which...
. Unfortunately, French generals were not interested in Polish information about the campaign in Poland and German tactics of Blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg
For other uses of the word, see: Blitzkrieg Blitzkrieg is an anglicized word describing all-motorised force concentration of tanks, infantry, artillery, combat engineers and air power, concentrating overwhelming force at high speed to break through enemy lines, and, once the lines are broken,...
. There was a general belief among the French High Command that the Polish armed forces were incompetent, and they also believed in the impregnability of the Maginot Line
Maginot Line
The Maginot Line , named after the French Minister of War André Maginot, was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, artillery casemates, machine gun posts, and other defences, which France constructed along its borders with Germany and Italy, in light of its experience in World War I,...
. When General Maczek and his veterans tried to create a Polish mechanized division, they were not able to get the equipment necessary for training fast enough, so the new unit grew very slowly.
Everything changed, when Germany invaded France in 1940, by simply going around French fortifications. General Maczek's unit suddenly received all the equipment they had asked for, with one condition: they had to go into action immediately. That was impossible, because many Polish soldiers had no idea how to use the new equipment and there was no time for training. General Maczek decided to lead a small force of his best trained men, hoping that the rest of his unit would join them later. That small force was called the 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade (10 Brygada Kawalerii Pancernej) in honour of the "Black Brigade" from 1939. On June 6, 10th Brigade had one tank battalion, two strong motorized cavalry squadrons, one anti-tank battery and one anti-aircraft battery.
The brigade was attached to the French Fourth Army
Fourth Army (France)
The Fourth Army was a Field army of the French Army, which fought during World War I and World War II.-World War I:*General Fernand de Langle de Cary *General Henri Gouraud...
near Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
, and was ordered to cover its left flank. However, Maczek's unit was much too weak to successfully hold back full German armoured divisions. Polish soldiers managed only to cover one retreating French infantry division by attacking German forces in Champaubert-Montgivroux. Later the brigade had to withdraw with the rest of French troops, and joined the French XXIII Corps. On June 16 the brigade attacked, by night, the town of Montbard
Montbard
Montbard is a commune and subprefecture of the Côte-d'Or department in the Bourgogne region in eastern France.Montbard is a small industrial town on the river Brenne. The Forges de Buffon, ironworks established by Buffon, are located in the nearby village of Buffon...
over the Burgundy Canal. Maczek's soldiers completely surprised the Germans and took many prisoners.
The 10th Brigade was fighting alone by this time, with the French units on both flanks either routed or in retreat. There were no French forces to exploit that victory, and the decimated Polish unit found itself surrounded and without fuel. On June 18, General Maczek decided to destroy most of his equipment and to withdraw on foot. Later that day he had to split the remnants of his brigade into small groups, so they could pass through enemy lines. Many of Maczek's men, including the general himself, found their way to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where a Polish armoured unit was recreated, while others joined the Polish and French resistance organizations in France and Belgium.
The 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade was a small formation, but with an excellent fighting spirit. Most of its soldiers managed to get to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, where the 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade was recreated as a part of General Maczek's 1st Armoured Division.
Formation in Britain and Post Cold War
The brigade fought with the 1st Armoured Division in north-west Europe in 1944-45, but was disbanded after the war. However it was reformed in 1995 and later equipped with Leopard II tanks purchased from GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(see :pl:10 Brygada Kawalerii Pancernej (III RP)). It is now part of the 11th Armoured Cavalry Division
11th Armoured Cavalry Division
- Bibliography :* Wiesław Chłopek, 11 Lubuska Dywizja Kawalerii Pancernej im. Króla Jana III Sobieskiego. Zarys dziejów, Wydawnictwo "Chroma", Żary 2005, wyd. I, ISBN 83-922412-3-1...
headquartered at Żagań
Zagan
Zagan may refer to:*Zagan - a demon in the Ars Goetia*Żagań - a town in west Poland...
.