The Battle of Kock was the final battle in the
invasion of Poland
The invasion of Poland (1 September – 6 October 1939) was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union which marked the beginning of World War II. The German invasion began on 1 September 1939, one week af ...
at the beginning of
World War II in Europe
The European theatre of World War II was one of the two main theatres of combat during World War II. It saw heavy fighting across Europe for almost six years, starting with Germany's invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 and ending with the ...
. It took place between 2–5 October 1939, near the town of
Kock
Kock is a town in eastern Poland, about north of Lublin and south-east of Warsaw. It lies in Lublin Voivodeship, in Lubartów County. It is the capital of the administrative district Gmina Kock. Historically Kock belongs to the Polish provinc ...
, in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
.
[Zaloga, S.J., 2002, Poland 1939, Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd., ]
The Polish
Independent Operational Group Polesie Independent Operational Group Polesie (''Samodzielna Grupa Operacyjna Polesie'', SGO Polesie) was one of the Polish Army Corps (Operational Groups) that defended Poland during the Invasion of Poland in 1939. It was created on 11 September 1939 and ...
, led by General
Franciszek Kleeberg
Franciszek Kleeberg (1 February 1888, in Tarnopol – 5 April 1941, near Dresden) was a Polish general. He served in the Austro-Hungarian Army before joining the Polish Legions in World War I and later the Polish Army. During the German Invasion ...
, fought the German
XIV Motorized Corps, led by General
Gustav Anton von Wietersheim
Gustav Anton von Wietersheim (11 February 1884 – 25 April 1974) was a German general during World War II. He led the XIV Motorized Corps (after 21 June 1941, XIV Panzer Corps) from its creation in 1938 until 14 September 1942 during the Battle ...
.
Before the battle
The Polish battle plan was disorganized due to few officers being available. The
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
had destroyed the Polish
reserve
Reserve or reserves may refer to:
Places
* Reserve, Kansas, a US city
* Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish
* Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County
* Reserve, New Mexico, a US ...
and forced it to
withdraw. Having taken heavy losses, the Polish armies retreated to
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula, Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland un ...
and the
Vistula
The Vistula (; pl, Wisła, ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest river in Europe, at in length. The drainage basin, reaching into three other nations, covers , of which is in Poland.
The Vistula rises at Barania Góra in ...
river. From there, they took the route from
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officiall ...
to
Sandomierz
Sandomierz (pronounced: ; la, Sandomiria) is a historic town in south-eastern Poland with 23,863 inhabitants (as of 2017), situated on the Vistula River in the Sandomierz Basin. It has been part of Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (Holy Cross Prov ...
. From Sandomierz, they were able to move on to the
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest city of historical Lesser Poland. It is the capital and the center of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 336,339 (December 2021). Lublin is the largest Polish city east of ...
area.
The eastern edge of the Vistula was defended by Lublin's weak army. The Polish forces were only camped in areas where they could cross the river easily (in case of an attack). Other German forces advanced to the Vistula and went on towards
Zamość
Zamość (; yi, זאמאשטש, Zamoshtsh; la, Zamoscia) is a historical city in southeastern Poland. It is situated in the southern part of Lublin Voivodeship, about from Lublin, from Warsaw. In 2021, the population of Zamość was 62,021.
...
and
Volodymyr-Volynskyi
Volodymyr ( uk, Володи́мир, from 1944 to 2021 Volodymyr-Volynskyi ( uk, Володи́мир-Воли́нський)) is a small city located in Volyn Oblast, in north-western Ukraine. It is the administrative centre of the Volodymyr R ...
.
The Polish Army at
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula, Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland un ...
and
Małopolska
Lesser Poland, often known by its Polish name Małopolska ( la, Polonia Minor), is a historical region situated in southern and south-eastern Poland. Its capital and largest city is Kraków. Throughout centuries, Lesser Poland developed ...
suffered heavy losses, and did not reach the
San river front. Therefore, they were unable to organize a proper defense.
Marshal
Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used for elevated o ...
Rydz Śmigły was tasked with the defense of southern Poland. The commander of army area IX
Brześć
Brest ( be, Брэст / Берасьце, Bieraście, ; russian: Брест, ; uk, Берестя, Berestia; lt, Brasta; pl, Brześć; yi, בריסק, Brisk), formerly Brest-Litovsk (russian: Брест-Литовск, lit=Lithuanian Br ...
, General Kleeberg, was responsible for the defense of the line from
Pińsk to Brześć.
Group organization
On 8 September, General Kleeberg received orders from Marshal Rydz-Śmigły to organize a division of infantry from the depot division (a depot was where reserve soldiers and recruits were trained). General Kleeberg was also ordered to organize a defensive line from Brześć to Pińsk. While his forces were well-trained, they lacked heavy equipment as it had previously been dispatched to the front-line divisions.
Battle of Brześć Litewski and Kobryń
After breaking through the Polish line in the
Battle of Wizna, the German
XIX Army Corps
The XIX Army Corps ( German: ''XIX. Armeekorps'') was an armored corps of the German Wehrmacht between 1 July 1939 and 16 November 1940, when the unit was renamed Panzer Group 2 (German: ''Panzergruppe 2'') and later 2nd Panzer Army (German: ''2 ...
under General
Heinz Guderian
Heinz Wilhelm Guderian (; 17 June 1888 – 14 May 1954) was a German general during World War II who, after the war, became a successful memoirist. An early pioneer and advocate of the "blitzkrieg" approach, he played a central role in th ...
started its rapid advance south. The corps, composed of the
3rd Panzer Division, the
10th Panzer Division, the
20th Motorized Infantry Division, with the
2nd Motorized Division in reserve, was ordered to capture
the old fortress in Brześć Litewski and then strike further southwards towards
Kowel
Kovel (, ; pl, Kowel; yi, קאוולע / קאוולי ) is a city in Volyn Oblast (province), in northwestern Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Kovel Raion (district). Population:
Kovel gives its name to one of the oldest runi ...
and
Galicia
Galicia may refer to:
Geographic regions
* Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain
** Gallaecia, a Roman province
** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia
** The medieval King ...
. The purpose of this attack was to cut Poland in two and paralyze the defenses east of the
Bug River
uk, Західний Буг be, Захо́дні Буг
, name_etymology =
, image = Wyszkow_Bug.jpg
, image_size = 250
, image_caption = Bug River in the vicinity of Wyszków, Poland
, map = Vi ...
.
Initially, Guderian's forces advanced almost unopposed. However, on 14 September, they were stopped in the area of Brześć Fortress and
Kobryn
Kobryn ( be, Кобрын; russian: Кобрин; pl, Kobryń; lt, Kobrynas; uk, Кобринь, Kobryn'; yi, קאָברין) is a city in the Brest Region of Belarus and the center of the Kobryn District. The city is located in the southwest ...
by a four-battalion-strong improvised force under General
Konstanty Plisowski. In the three-day-long battle, which became known as the
Battle of Brześć Litewski
The Battle of Brześć Litewski (also known as the ''Siege of Brześć'', ''Battle of Brest-Litovsk'' or simply ''Battle of Brześć'') was a World War II battle involving German and Polish forces that took place between 14 and 17 September 19 ...
, both sides suffered significant casualties. Although the Poles finally withdrew from the area on 17 September, the Germans did not start the pursuit soon enough to rout the retreating Poles. The simultaneous attack on
Kobryn
Kobryn ( be, Кобрын; russian: Кобрин; pl, Kobryń; lt, Kobrynas; uk, Кобринь, Kobryn'; yi, קאָברין) is a city in the Brest Region of Belarus and the center of the Kobryn District. The city is located in the southwest ...
, which is sometimes referred to as the
Battle of Kobryń, was inconclusive, with the Polish improvised 'Kobryń' Infantry Division under Colonel
Adam Epler
Adam Józef Aleksander Epler (born 1 December 1891 in Lwów, Austrian Galicia; died 24 October 1965 in London) was a Colonel of Artillery of the Polish Army, posthumously promoted to Generał brygady. Epler had a wife Zofia (née Murczyńska) and ...
withdrawing unopposed.
Both Polish units from Kobryń and Brześć were soon joined by the
Podlaska Cavalry Brigade The Podlaska Cavalry Brigade (Polish: ''Podlaska Brygada Kawalerii'') was a military unit of the Polish Army, created on April 1, 1937. Its headquarters were in Białystok, and it was based on the ''Cavalry Brigade Białystok'', existing between Feb ...
. The unit, commanded by General , successfully evaded encirclement by withdrawing through the
Białowieża Forest
Białowieża Forest; lt, Baltvyžių giria; pl, Puszcza Białowieska ; russian: Беловежская пуща, Belovezhskaya Pushcha is a forest on the border between Belarus and Poland. It is one of the last and largest remaining pa ...
. General Kmicic-Skrzyński, with his chief of staff, Major Julian Szychiewicz, went to
Vawkavysk
Vawkavysk ( be, Ваўкавы́ск, ; russian: Волковы́ск; pl, Wołkowysk; lt, Valkaviskas; yi, וואלקאוויסק; names in other languages) is one of the oldest towns in southwestern Belarus and the capital of the Vawkavysk ...
where he made telephone contact with General Kleeberg. The two agreed to join their forces and move southwards, towards the
Romanian Bridgehead
__NOTOC__
The Romanian Bridgehead ( pl, Przedmoście rumuńskie; ro, Capul de pod român) was an area in southeastern Poland that is now located in Ukraine. During the invasion of Poland in 1939 at the start of the Second World War), the Polish ...
.
The 16th Motorized Infantry Regiment with artillery and
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German '' Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the '' Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabt ...
support, began an attack on the positions of the 83rd Polish Infantry Regiment on 18 September, capturing a number of Polish positions. The Polish counter-attack, which began at 17.00 hours, regained some territory. General Kleeberg began withdrawing his forces to
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
and
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Cr ...
. Over the next two days Polish forces were ordered to concentrate north of
Kowel
Kovel (, ; pl, Kowel; yi, קאוולע / קאוולי ) is a city in Volyn Oblast (province), in northwestern Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Kovel Raion (district). Population:
Kovel gives its name to one of the oldest runi ...
. While on the march, a formation of the Polesie Group was attacked by fifth columnists and from the air, but loose groups of Polish soldiers joined the group.
After a battle with Red Army forces, General Kleeberg decided to march to the relief of Warsaw on 22 September. He first planned to capture crossing places on the Bug River. The concentration area would be near Włodawa. Formations, organized by Colonel Brzoza-Brzezina, fought only against the Germans. They could fight the
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian language, Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist R ...
but only if they, the Poles, were attacked first. Between 22 and 25 September, elements of the Polesie Group were attacked by German aircraft during the march to Włodawa. On the last day of these attacks, General Kleeberg received information that Włodawa had been captured by unknown Polish units. Most personnel were soldiers from destroyed Polish formations who had not been caught by the Germans and were looking for commanders and formations which still fought. His staff began organizing the defense of a bridgehead in Włodawa.
Elsewhere, between 17 and 26 September, formations of the Polesie Group crossed the Bug river and entered an area near Włodawa. After receiving information about the surrender of Warsaw, General Kleeberg asked his commanders their opinion after informing them of the political and military situation. He also asked General
Zygmunt Podhorski Zygmunt Podhorski ( nom de guerre Zaza; May 25, 1891 – September 12, 1960) was Brigadier General of the Polish Army. Born May 25, 1891, Podhorski fought in World War I (in the Russian Imperial Army), Polish–Soviet War and the Invasion of Poland ...
, the commander of the 'Zaza' cavalry division (comprising two brigades of cavalry
Pils' and 'Edward' two infantry battalions
Olek' and 'Wilk'and divisional artillery), to join him. General Podhorski agreed but then decided that he would first go to Stawy near Dęblin, the location of the main arsenal of the Polish army. They would then move to the
Holy Cross Mountains
Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...
and engage in
guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which small groups of combatants, such as paramilitary personnel, armed civilians, or irregulars, use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, raids, petty warfare, hit-and-run ta ...
.
Kleeberg decided to re-organize his command. The 'Kobryń' division would get little in the way of re-supply but would be renamed the 60th Infantry Division. The 'Brzoza' and 'Drohiczyn' groups would be merged – Colonel Brzoza-Brzezina would command the resultant 50th Infantry Division with three infantry regiments and a division of artillery. The 60th Infantry Division would be commanded by Colonel Adam Epler, comprising: three infantry regiments, a division of artillery, a motorized company of 37 mm anti-tank guns, four independent and seven independent formations. In all, Kleeberg had some 18,000 men.
On 28 September, the Polish forces began to march south to the Parczew-Wojcieszków line with the 'Zaza' cavalry division securing the march. One of the
Uhlan
Uhlans (; ; ; ; ) were a type of light cavalry, primarily armed with a lance. While first appearing in the cavalry of Lithuania and then Poland, Uhlans were quickly adopted by the mounted forces of other countries, including France, Russia, Pr ...
regiments from the 'Edward' brigade successfully crossed the Wieprz river and captured Spiczyn; another cavalry regiment from the 'Zaza' Division captured Jawidz and Wymysłów after some resistance. The Germans suffered heavy losses. The next day there was more fighting between the 'Zaza' Division and the Germans near Spiczyn. That evening, the 60th Infantry Division made contact with the Germans and entered a forest near Czeremniki. The Germans, using a formation of infantry and supported by two tanks, attacked the 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment unsuccessfully.
By 30 September, Polish forces were situated between the rivers
Tyśmienica and
Wieprz
The Wieprz (, ; ua, Вепр, Vepr) is a river in central-eastern Poland, a tributary of the Vistula. It is the country's ninth longest river, with a total length of 349 km and a catchment area of 10,497 km2, all within Poland. Its cour ...
. The following day, forces from the 'Polesie' Group passed the
Świderki colonies of Bystrzyca, Wola Osowińska, Bełcząc and Ostrówek. The 'Zaza' Division had settled in forests near the Tyśmianka river. One squadron of the 2nd Uhlan Regiment, who were defending a road, destroyed a German reconnaissance patrol. The command element of 5th Uhlan Regiment, and the 'Olek' and 'Wilk' infantry battalions attacked the Germans in Kock and captured the town.
Battle of Kock
On 30 September, the commander of
10th Army,
Walter von Reichenau
Walter Karl Ernst August von Reichenau (8 October 1884 – 17 January 1942) was a field marshal in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. Reichenau commanded the 6th Army, during the invasions of Belgium and France. During Operation ...
, ordered his staff to plan the destruction of a large Polish force which was located between the Bug and Vistula rivers. This task would involve the
XIV Motorized Corps. It was made up of the
29th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)
The 29th Infantry Division was a unit of the German army created in the fall of 1936. It was based on the old Reichswehr 15th Infantry Regiment and drew its initial recruits from Thuringia. It was upgraded to 29th Motorized Infantry Division in ...
, the
13th Motorized Infantry Division
The 13th Panzer Division ( en, 13th Armoured Division) was a unit of the German Army during World War II, established in 1940.
The division was organized under the code name Infantry Command IV (''Infanterieführer IV'') in October 1934. On O ...
, and some independent units. Each German motorized division had a paper strength of 16445 soldiers, 2676 trucks and staff cars, 1944 motorcycles, and 18 armored cars.
2 October
General Gustav Anton von Wietersheim, the commander of the XIV Motorized Corps, knew that Polish forces were situated in the forests northwest of Kock. He believed that the commander of the Polish forces was unaware of Warsaw's capitulation.
The commander of the 13th Motorized Infantry Division, , was of the opinion that the Polish forces had become so demoralized that they were incapable of combat, and that a single German battalion would be enough to disarm the Poles and take them to a prisoner of war camp. General Otto sent a force consisting of 3rd Battalion, 93rd Motorized Infantry Regiment supported by 8th Battery, 13th Regiment of Light Artillery. The battalion commander decided to divide his forces into two groups which were sent to
Serokomla
Serokomla is a village in Łuków County, Lublin Voivodeship, in eastern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Serokomla. It lies approximately south of Łuków and north of the regional capital Lublin.
Th ...
and Kock. He could count on help from the 93rd Motorized Infantry Regiment with some support forces which followed him.
Kock
At 08:30, a column of half-tracks and truck-mounted infantry came under fire from a guard platoon of No. 2 company of the 'Wilk' battalion. After a protracted engagement the German troops withdrew. The Polish 179th Infantry Regiment was alerted and moved to defensive positions near and in Kock. At about 11:00 the German lead elements attacked the Polish positions, which were now 2 battalions strong. In spite of supporting artillery fire, the attack failed. At dusk German motorcyclists appeared near the church in Kock and began firing, but subsequently withdrew when the fire was returned.
Serokomla
A company of motorized infantry entered the village of Serokomla. This led to the beginning of a chaotic action between the Germans and Uhlans from the 'Pils' Cavalry Brigade, (commanded by Colonel Plisowski). The Poles were supported by an artillery unit from the same brigade. The Germans were forced to withdraw to the south of the village (see 3 October).
Casualties
German losses were 300–400 killed and wounded. Five officers, 180 NCOs and privates were captured by the Poles. Components of the 'Pils' cavalry brigade lost about 200 killed or wounded.
3 October
The stiff Polish resistance forced General Otto to use all his forces for an assault. He was going to split Polish forces in two and destroy them. He decided that the 33rd Motorized Infantry Regiment supported by part of the divisional artillery would attack
Annopol,
Pieńki and
Talczyn. This force was tasked with destroying the Polish 50th Infantry Division. The 93rd Motorized Infantry Regiment was ordered to capture Serokomla, and then
Hordzież, and to destroy a defensive formation of the 'Zaza' cavalry division. The 66th Motorized Infantry Regiment entered the field of battle in the afternoon.
General Kleeberg thought that the main German advance would be toward the 'Zaza' cavalry division at Serokomla/Hordzież. He decided that part of the cavalry would fend off the German attack. The rest would join a counter-attack alongside the 50th Infantry Division on the right wing and rear of the 13th German Motorized Infantry Division. The 60th Infantry Division and the '
Podlaska Cavalry Brigade The Podlaska Cavalry Brigade (Polish: ''Podlaska Brygada Kawalerii'') was a military unit of the Polish Army, created on April 1, 1937. Its headquarters were in Białystok, and it was based on the ''Cavalry Brigade Białystok'', existing between Feb ...
' would close off potential German attack routes. If this counter-attack was successful, the German division would be forced to withdraw behind the river Wieprz.
Between 07:50 and 09:30, two regiments of the 50th Infantry Division (the 180th and the 178th, less its 2nd battalion), attacked. They were supported by a
howitzer
A howitzer () is a long- ranged weapon, falling between a cannon (also known as an artillery gun in the United States), which fires shells at flat trajectories, and a mortar, which fires at high angles of ascent and descent. Howitzers, like ot ...
battery. The attack was commanded by
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colon ...
Gorzkowski. Initially successful, the Polish units were halted and then forced onto the defensive. The cavalry attack by the Uhlans was also stopped and forced to withdraw west of
Wola Gułowska
Wola Gułowska ( Polish: ) is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Adamów, within Łuków County, Lublin Voivodeship, in eastern Poland. It lies approximately south-west of Adamów, south-west of Łuków, and north-west of the ...
.
At 10:30, German artillery began to fire on Polish cavalry positions. The 93rd Motorized Infantry Regiment began an attack on the 'Wilk' battalion positions, inflicting heavy losses. The 33rd Motorized Infantry Regiment began a gradual attack on the Polish 50th Infantry Division.
After heavy fighting, the German advance was stopped. General Otto decided to support the 33rd Motorized Infantry Regiment with the 2nd Battalion of the 66th Motorized Infantry Regiment. German formations captured Wola Gułowska, but in the evening, they were forced to withdraw from the eastern part of the area and go on the defensive in the west part.
4 October
Due to the 13th Motorized Infantry Division's failure, General von Wietersheim was forced to use the 29th Motorized Infantry Division. General Otto ordered the 93rd Motorized Infantry Regiment to move from the Wieprz river to Dęblin. The 66th Motorized Infantry Regiment would attack Adamów and Wola Gułowska, and the 33rd Motorized Infantry Regiment would clear the area to the north of Kock.
General Kleeberg suspected that the main combined attack of the 13th Motorized Infantry Division and the 29th Motorized Infantry Division would be on Adamów and Krzywda. He thought there was a chance to destroy the 13th Motorized Infantry Division as they had already sustained heavy casualties and materiel losses. The 'Zaza' cavalry division and the 50th Infantry Division would defend their positions, the 60th Infantry Division would attack the 13th Motorized Infantry Division. The Podlaska Cavalry Brigade would oppose the 29th Motorized Infantry Division.
In the morning, the main elements of 13th Motorized Infantry Division attacked the 'Zaza' cavalry division and the 50th Infantry division. By 12:00 noon part of the 66th Motorized Infantry Regiment had captured Zakępie and advanced on Adamów where they were halted by the 1st Battalion of the 180th Infantry Regiment.
About 11 hours apart, first from the west and then the east, forces from the 66th Motorized Infantry Regiment attacked the 'Olek' and 'Wilk' battalions who were defending
Czarna. The defenders sustained heavy casualties from artillery fire and 'Wilk' was forced to withdraw to the eastern edge of the Adamów forest. 'Olek', moving to Adamów, later deployed to
Gułów. Between 10:00 and 11:00 formations of the 66th Motorized Infantry Regiment attacked formations of cavalry from the 5th Uhlan Regiment who then withdrew from Wola Gułowska and Adamów to the south-east.
At about 12:00 the 66th Motorized Infantry Regiment attacked the 2nd Squadron of the 2nd Uhlan Regiment in Zarzecze which withdrew with heavy casualties. The commander of the regiment moved the 4th Squadron south from
Helenów to try to assist the 2nd Squadron while the 3rd Squadron held the enemy to the west of Wola Gułowska. The 3rd and 4th Squadrons, with elements of the 10th Uhlan Regiment fought near the
Turzystwo village cemetery and the church in Wola Gułowska. Ground was lost and regained repeatedly until an attack by the 2nd Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment and the Uhlan Squadron enabled the Polish to dig in.
5 October
General von Wietersheim decided that he would use two of his divisions. They would attempt to encircle and destroy the Polish forces. The 13th Motorized Infantry Division advanced on
Bystrzyca and
Adamów then
Nowa Wróblina and
Stanin
Stanin is a village in Łuków County, Lublin Voivodeship, in eastern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Stanin. It lies approximately south-west of Łuków and north of the regional capital Lublin
Lu ...
; the 29th Motorized Division advanced on
Radoryż Kościelny and Nowa Wróblina where they met troops from the 13th Motorized Infantry Division.
General Kleeberg decided to destroy the 13th Motorized Infantry Division by using forces from the 50th and 60th infantry divisions and the 'Zaza' cavalry division. The Podlaska Cavalry Brigade defended the position under Radoryż Kościelny and Nowa Wróblina.
Fighting in Wojcieszków, Gułów and Adamów
The 13th Motorized Infantry Division's artillery began to fire on the 180th Infantry Regiment battalion's positions in
Adamów and the 'Olek' Battalion in Gułów grange at 05:30. Two and a half hours later, the 66th Motorized Infantry Regiment's advance began. After a short fight at 10:00, the Germans captured Adamów, they then attacked the Polish position on hill 170 and
Gułów, which they captured after heavy fighting. The 66th Motorized Infantry Regiment took many losses. The division occupied positions on the eastern edge of Adamów forest. General Podhorski sent the 'Pils' cavalry brigade to support them. After contact with the enemy brigade, they began an attack on the German positions in the forest. They captured the forest and, there, they established defensive positions.
After the capture of Adamów and Gułów grange by the 66th Motorized Infantry Regiment, the 33rd Motorized Infantry Regiment began to advance, capturing
Wojcieszków and . The Polish 178th Infantry Regiment withdrew. The commander ordered his force to re-take Wojcieszków and Glinne, which they did, but they withdrew after taking heavy losses. The advance of the 180th Infantry Regiment on Adamów failed. Colonel Brzoza-Brzezina sent the 178th infantry regiment who soon met the German advance. The 1st battalion included a part company of sappers. The 2nd and 3rd battalions took heavy losses and withdrew to
Burzec.
Meanwhile, an attack by the Polish 184th infantry regiment, with the support of a battalion of the 179th infantry regiment, recaptured the church and cemetery in Wola Gułowska. An advance by the 182nd Infantry Regiment with the help of three 100mm howitzers broke the German defense in Helenów.
At 16:00, the last German advance from Adamów began on positions of the 10th Uhlan Regiment in Krzywda forest by the 182nd regiment in Helenów and the 184th regiment in Wola Gułowska. The 10th Uhlan Regiment, after a hard fight, withdrew into the forest. Most forces of the 'Brzoza' division successfully defended their positions in Burzec. The 182nd Infantry Regiment held their position. The 184th regiment had to withdraw due to a lack of artillery ammunition. During this time two key Polish advances began. The 2nd battalion of the 183rd Infantry Regiment, with artillery support, began an assault with the bayonet on the Germans who had attacked the southern wing of the 'Pils' cavalry brigade.
The assault succeeded and the Germans began to retreat, being chased by infantry and cavalry. The rear of the southern wing of the 13th Motorized Infantry Division was attacked by the 'Edward' cavalry brigade, they captured the village of
Poznań
Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint Joh ...
, including a German artillery battery (which had to be destroyed when the cavalry were forced to withdraw due to them coming under fire from another German artillery battery). Elements of the 13th Motorized Infantry Division began to withdraw. One of the last attacks was by the 29th Motorized Division on the 'Podlaska' Cavalry Brigade positions and the rear of the 'Brzoza' Division. After that both Polish formations withdrew to the south of
Krzywda.
At 16:30, General Kleeburg gave his last order in
Hordzieżka, and then, as the Hordzieżka forest was being shelled, returned to his headquarters in Krzywda. At 20:40, Lieutenant Colonels Kazimierz Gorzkowski and Tadeusz Śmigielski left to establish contact with the command staff of the 13th Motorized Infantry Division. They made contact with the Germans near Adamów, and both sides agreed to a ceasefire lasting until 6 October (the next day) at 06:00, before which time a surrender was to be concluded.
Independent Operational Group Polesie surrendered on 6 October at 10:00. In his last order, General Kleeberg wrote that the reason for his decision to capitulate was that they were surrounded and ammunition and food were depleted.
General Kleeberg's ceremonial surrender took place on 6 October at the
Jabłonowskich Palace in Kock.
See also
*
List of World War II military equipment of Poland Polish Armament in 1939–45 article is a list of equipment used by Polish army before and during the Invasion of Poland, foreign service in British Commonwealth forces and last campaign to Germany with the Red Army in 1945.
Aircraft
Local de ...
*
List of German military equipment of World War II
The following is a list of German military equipment of World War II which includes artillery, vehicles and vessels. World War II was a global war that was under way by 1939 and ended in 1945. Following political instability build-up in Europe from ...
References
Further reading
* Jan Wróblewski "''Samodzielna grupa operacyjna "Polesie" 1939''", Wojskowy Instytut Historyczny, Warsaw 1989.
*
Marian Porwit
Marian Paweł Porwit (25 September 1895 – 26 April 1988) was a Polish military officer, a colonel of the Polish Army and a military historian. A commander of one of the sections of the Polish front during the Siege of Warsaw of 1939, after th ...
"''Komentarze do historii polskich działań obronnych 1939''", Volume 3 "Czytelnik", Warsaw 1973.
* Stanley S.Seidner, ''Marshal Edward Śmigły-Rydz Rydz and the Defense of Poland'', New York, 1978.
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kock
Battles of the Invasion of Poland
Lublin Voivodeship (1919–1939)
October 1939 events