Second Infantry Fusiliers Division
Encyclopedia
Polish 2nd Fusilier Division or 2nd Rifle Division was part of the recreated Polish Army in France in 1940.
The division (numbering 15,830 soldiers) was commanded by Brigadier-General Bronisław Prugar-Ketling, and was based from late December 1939 to May 1940 at Parthenay
in Eastern France. Under Prugar-Ketling the division was charged with holding the defences around Belfort
, Alsace
. Assigned to part of the French reserves,http://france1940.free.fr/oob/gqg.html XXXXV corps. Engaged in heavy fighting from June 17 to 19 near the Doubs
and Saône
rivers, it stopped a German attack on the Clos-du-Doubs hills. but due to the (unknown to the Poles) rapid and secret retreat of the nearby French forces it was surrounded by the Germans; nonetheless it managed to break through to Switzerland
over 20–21 June 1940, where its soldiers were interned for the rest of the war, although many "escaped" back into France and eventually made their way to England to rejoin the Polish forces there.
The division (numbering 15,830 soldiers) was commanded by Brigadier-General Bronisław Prugar-Ketling, and was based from late December 1939 to May 1940 at Parthenay
Parthenay
Parthenay is an ancient fortified town and commune in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France, sited on a rocky spur that is surrounded on two sides by the River Thouet...
in Eastern France. Under Prugar-Ketling the division was charged with holding the defences around Belfort
Belfort
Belfort is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Franche-Comté in northeastern France and is the prefecture of the department. It is located on the Savoureuse, on the strategically important natural route between the Rhine and the Rhône – the Belfort Gap or Burgundian Gate .-...
, Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
. Assigned to part of the French reserves,http://france1940.free.fr/oob/gqg.html XXXXV corps. Engaged in heavy fighting from June 17 to 19 near the Doubs
Doubs River
The Doubs is a 453 km long river in eastern France and western Switzerland, left tributary of the Saône. Its source is near Mouthe in the western Jura mountains....
and Saône
Saône
The Saône is a river of eastern France. It is a right tributary of the River Rhône. Rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department, it joins the Rhône in Lyon....
rivers, it stopped a German attack on the Clos-du-Doubs hills. but due to the (unknown to the Poles) rapid and secret retreat of the nearby French forces it was surrounded by the Germans; nonetheless it managed to break through to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
over 20–21 June 1940, where its soldiers were interned for the rest of the war, although many "escaped" back into France and eventually made their way to England to rejoin the Polish forces there.