Wielkopolska Cavalry Brigade (Polish: Wielkopolska Brygada Kawalerii) was a cavalry unit of the Polish Army in the interbellum period. It was created on April 1, 1937 out of the Cavalry Brigade “Poznań”. Its headquarters were stationed in Poznań

Poznan

Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...

 and the brigade consisted of these units:

• 15th Poznań Uhlans Regiment
  15th Poznań Uhlans Regiment
  15th Poznań Uhlans Regiment – unit of Polish cavalry, part of Greater Polands Army, Polish Army of Second Republic and Polish Armed Forces in the West during World War II.-Regimental colours:...
  
  , stationed in Poznań,
• 17th Regiment of Greater Poland Uhlans of King Boleslaw Chrobry, stationed in Leszno
  Leszno
  Leszno is a town in central Poland with 63,955 inhabitants . Situated in the southern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship since 1999, it was previously the capital of the Leszno Voivodeship . The town has county status.-History:...
  
  
• 7th Regiment of Greater Poland Mounted Rifles, stationed in Biedrusko
  Biedrusko
  Biedrusko is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Suchy Las, within Poznań County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, in west-central Poland. It lies on the Warta river, approximately north of the regional capital Poznań. In 2006 the village had a population of 2,200.Biedrusko is first...
  
  ,
• 7th Greater Poland Mounted Artillery Regiment, stationed in Poznań,
• 3rd Squadron of Pioneers, stationed in Poznań,
• 7th Squadron of Communications, stationed in Poznań.

Polish September Campaign

The Brigade, under General Roman Abraham

Roman Abraham

Roman Abraham was a Polish cavalry general, commander of Wielkopolska Cavalry Brigade during German and Soviet Invasion of Poland in September 1939, in Battle of Bzura commander of Polish cavalry ....

, was part of the Poznań Army

Poznan Army

Army Poznań led by mj. gen. Tadeusz Kutrzeba was one of the Polish Armies during the Polish Defensive War in 1939.-Tasks:Flanked by Armia Pomorze to the north and Armia Łódź to the south, the Army was to provide flanking operations in Grand Poland region, defend it and withdraw towards lines of...

. On the first day of the Polish September Campaign, its forces counterattacked the 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:...

 in the area of Leszno and Rawicz

Rawicz

Rawicz is a town in central Poland with 21,398 inhabitants . It is situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship ; previously it was in Leszno Voivodeship . It is the capital of Rawicz County.-History:...

, together with the 25th Infantry Division

Polish 25th Infantry Division

The 25th Infantry Division was a unit of the Polish Army in the interbellum period, created in 1921 with headquarters in Kalisz...

. On September 2, 1939, parts of the Brigade broke into territory of 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...

, attacking Fraustadt

Wschowa

Wschowa is a town in the Lubusz Voivodeship in Poland with 14,607 inhabitants . It is the capital of Wschowa County.-History:Wschowa was originally a border fortress in a region disputed by the Polish dukes of Silesia and Greater Poland. After German colonists had established a settlement nearby,...

 and destroying a column of German vehicles.
In the following days, the Brigade, together with the whole Poznań Army, withdrew eastwards from Greater Poland

Greater Poland

Greater Poland or Great Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska is a historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief city is Poznań.The boundaries of Greater Poland have varied somewhat throughout history...

. On September 8, 1939, the cavalrymen covered eastern wing of the Army, during the outbreak of 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...

. In the night of September 9–10, 1939, the Brigade attacked the enemy, with initial successes of the 17th Regiment of Greater Poland Uhlans and the 15th Regiment of Poznań Uhlans. However, soon afterwards German defense stiffened and the Brigade halted. On September 11, together with 11th Infantry Division

Polish 11th Infantry Division

11th Carpathian Infantry Division , was a tactical unit of the Polish Army in the interbellum period, which resisted the Invasion of Poland in 1939. Its headquarters were located in Stanisławów, with some regiments stationed in nearby locations, such as Stryi and Kolomyia...

, the Brigade attacked Glowno

Glowno

Głowno is a town and community in Poland, in Łódź Voivodeship, in Zgierz County, about 25 km northeast of Łódź. The town administratively belonged to the Łódź Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998. According to data from August 10, 2006, the city has 15,282 inhabitants...

, facing German 24th I.D. under General Friedrich Olbricht

Friedrich Olbricht

General Friedrich Olbricht was a German general and one of the plotters involved in the attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler at the Wolfsschanze in East Prussia on 20 July 1944.-Early life:...

.
As Polish momentum weakened, the Brigade was on September 13 ordered to withdraw across the Bzura

Bzura

Bzura is a river in central Poland, a tributary of the Vistula river , with a length of 166 kilometres and the basin area of 7,788 km2.-Towns and townships:*Zgierz*Aleksandrów Łódzki*Ozorków*Łęczyca*Łowicz*Sochaczew...

 near Brochow, continuously fighting the German 4th Mountain Division of General Georg Reinhardt. Skirmishes lasted until September 16, then the Brigade retreated into the Kampinos Forest

Kampinos Forest

Kampinos Forest is a large forest complex located to the west of Warsaw in Poland. It covers a large part of the ancient valley of Vistula, between Vistula and Bzura rivers. Once a gigantic forest covering 670 km² of central Poland, it currently covers roughly 240 km².Most of the...

. There, together with Pomeranian Cavalry Brigade

Pomeranian Cavalry Brigade

Pomeranian Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry unit of the Polish Army in the interbellum period. It was created on April 1, 1937 out of the Cavalry Brigade "Bydgoszcz"...

 and Podolska Cavalry Brigade

Podolska Cavalry Brigade

Podolska Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry unit of the Polish Army in the interbellum period. It was created on April 1, 1937 out of the 6th Independent Cavalry Brigade...

, it created the Joint Cavalry Brigade of General Abraham. On September 18, the unit fought off attack of German 29th Motorised Division of General Joachim Lemelsen

Joachim Lemelsen

Joachim Hermann August Lemelsen was a German general during the Second World War. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...

. Two days later it broke into besieged 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...

, where it capitulated on September 28, 1939.