Hello.
Here's a web page that offers an analysis of this event (and briefly
mentions the controversy surrrounding the film "Lotna"):
"Did Polish cavalry charge German tanks ?" cached by Archive.org
http://web.archive.org/web/20011006021230/http://mops.uci.agh.edu.pl/~rzepinsk/1939/html/cav.htm
Another good discussion is "Last Great Charge of the Polish Cavalry"
by M. Kamil Dziewanowski, hosted by Polishnews.com
http://www.polishnews.com/fulltext/history/2001/history4.shtml
Another detailed description is Conor Savoy's article, "The Polish
Campaign 1939," cached by archive.org
http://web.archive.org/web/20010608110939/http://www.quoteland.com/baronies/war/polish.html
Here's a brief excerpt from the article:
"Mastelarz commanded the two squadrons himself and soon found a German
infantry battalion exposed. The lancers charged the unprepared
infantry and in a few minutes had wiped out the Germans, with few
casualties. As the two squadrons were reforming a couple of German
armored cars armed with 20mm cannons drove onto the scene. The Polish
cavalry being exposed began to gallop for cover, but they were too
late the armored cars slaughtered the lancers, killing Mastelarz and
most of his regiment. The evidence of this encounter was shown to
Italian correspondents the next day and were told that the cavalry had
charged panzers. The myth of Polish cavalry battling Germans panzers
was born that day. Later on the night of September 1st General Heinz
Gurderian had to step in to prevent the 2nd Motorized Division from
retreating "in the face of intense cavalry pressure." This "intense
pressure" came from the 18th Lancers, who had lost more than 60% of
their strength during the day and were now pushing back a unit more
than ten times their size."
Source: Conor Savoy, "The Polish Campaign 1939," cached by archive.org
http://web.archive.org/web/20010608110939/http://www.quoteland.com/baronies/war/polish.html
Also see "Invasion of Poland (Fall Weiss)" by George Parada:
:
"Polish Campaign is surrounded by numerous myths such as the
destruction of Polish Airforce in the opening hours of the invasion
and Polish Cavalry charges against German armored units. Both myths
are creations of German and even Italian propaganda and are very far
from truth. Polish cavalry was active during the campaign and acted as
horse mounted infantry. One of the most successful cavalry charges
took place at Krojanty, where elements of 18th Uhlans Regiment
attacked and destroyed German infantry battalion only to be
counterattacked by German armored unit. Uhlans attempted to withdraw
and suffered heavy losses. This event lead to the story of Polish
cavalry charges on panzers. Polish Airforce was deployed at numerous
airfields and although numerically inferior and partially obsolete was
very active during the course of the campaign (e.g. over Warsaw).
Polish pilots shot down in combat over 137 enemy planes. Polish
cavalry brigades never charged tanks with their sabres or lances as
they were equipped with anti-tank weapons such as 37mm Bofors wz.36
(model 1936) anti-tank guns (that could penetrate 26mm armor at 600m
at 30 degrees). The cavalry brigades were in the process of being
reorganized into motorized brigades."
Source: "Invasion of Poland (Fall Weiss)" by George Parada, hosted by
achtungpanzer.com
http://www.achtungpanzer.com/polcamp.htm
Also see:
"The Polish Campaign 1939" by Steven Zaloga and Victor Madej
"In the early evening, an incident ocurred which has shaped the
popular image of the September campaign more than any other. The 18th
Lancer Regiment and a company of tankettes of the 81st Armoured Troop
were holding the northenmost Polish positions near Chojnice while the
remainder of the Pomorska Cavalry Brigade withdrew southward from
Brusy. Day-long fighting with the German 20th Motorized Infantry
Division had caused severe losses, but attempts by the regimental
commander to obtain permission to withdraw to more favorable defensive
positions across the Brda were denied. In the late afternoon, the
regimental commander, Colonel Kazimierz Mastelarz, decided to mount
half his force, amounting to two depleted line squadrons, and attempt
to swing around the German infantry positions and hit them from the
rear...
"The Polish Campaign 1939" by Zaloga and Madej, in a newsgroup message
hosted by Google; more at:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=7u65si%243p1%40dgs.dgsys.com
More newsgroup messages hosted by Google:
Subject: The Heroic Polish Cavalry
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=970619.193225.EDT.BGRISSOM%40ukcc.uky.edu
Subject: Polish cavalry in WWII (long)
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=19970401174800.MAA02384%40ladder01.news.aol.com
Subject: Re: Old myth never die - Polish cavalry (Was: WWII Polish Air
Force
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=6nch7r%24mdn%242%40coranto.ucs.mun.ca
Subject: Re: The greatest myths about WWII
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=3910213F.B4C77DB8%40catv.retsat1.com.pl&prev=/groups%3Fq%3Dpolish%2Btanks%2Bcavalry%26start%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26selm%3D3910213F.B4C77DB8%2540catv.retsat1.com.pl%26rnum%3D16
Subject: Re: Polish Cavalry Charge vs Tanks - another bit of info
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=Pine.NEB.4.21.0010091819220.23750-100000%40panix6.panix.com
[note that the article mentioned here is Savoy's mentioned above]
search strategy:
google groups: polish, tanks, cavalry
I hope this helps. |
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