The Battle by the High Warthe River.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; the history follows......................

The fighting by Piotrkow - September 1939.

At dawn on September 05 of 1939, the Polish deployment was as follows:

- 2 pp reinforced with the 7. Machine-gun battalion, in the line Belchatow - Rosprza.
- Cavalry Brigade “Wilno” in the forest of Lubien (the 23 Pul ahead in Pzerdbord).
- 19 DP occupying positions in front of Piotrkow.
- 29 DP occupying positions on the Pilica, in the region of Sulejow.
- 13 DP in Tomaszow-Maz., with some elements advanced on Wolborz.

During the course of the morning, the 4 Pz reassumed the attack on Belchatow whereas took advantage of the success achieved the previous day in Rosprza; there the weak cork was completely annihilated and the Germans took contact with the Army Corps Kruszewski.

On September 05 of 1939, the 4 Pz knocked strong defensive positions of the enemy on the line Lasky - Dolny - Wola Lekowskaja.

The PR 2 attacked towards Petrikau with intention to continue the rupture on Wolborz. Petrikau was taken suffering some losses and a bridgehead was settled down there.

The SR 1 pressed on Petrikau. At dusk, the soldiers of the I. Battalion, entered the locality. It was not until late in the night that the place was finally cleared of the enemies. The regiment assumed the security of the city.

On September 05 of 1939 at 06:00 hours the IR 11 continued towards CIELETNIKI. The previous night were registered some shots were fired by the civil populace. Some changes in the rolls had taken place there, Oberleutnant Pinckert was designated as Aide of the II. Battalion, Leutnant Gerngroß assumed as Order’s Officer in the III. Battalion and Leutnant Niepold went to the 12 ª Company (Amet). The Pilica was crossed in MALUSZIN and towards afternoon it was reached the neighborhoods of KURZDOW.

Sources: Aus der Geschichte Panzer Grenadier Regiment 12 (SR 12). Oskar Schaub.
Piotrkow 1939. W. Zalewski. Bellona. Warszawa 2000.
La Campaña de Polonia. Robert Jars. Círculo Militar. Buenos aires.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/wwii/panzer/images/AA4-Koeln.jpg
http://home.hccnet.nl/e.kooistra/fortzetzung5_6_7.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; the history follows......................

The fighting by Piotrkow - September 1939.

05 Sep 1939.

The German attack: the 4 Pz which attacked alone, because the 1 Pz went towards Borawski-Gorami, had struck around noon the positions of the 19 DP. Violent combats were developed, but the Poles held their positions. The local reserves of the Polish division carry out a counterattack generating a quite difficult situation for the adversary.

Unfortunately the looked for release was not obtained and past the first moment of surprise, the 4 Pz gave back the blow with violence. The defensive position of the 19 DP was finally broken around 16:00 hours, and the Polish division suffered serious losses. The locality of Piotrkow was conquered after two hours of intense combats.

Sources: Aus der Geschichte Panzer Grenadier Regiment 12 (SR 12). Oskar Schaub.
Piotrkow 1939. W. Zalewski. Bellona. Warszawa 2000.
La Campaña de Polonia. Robert Jars. Círculo Militar. Buenos aires.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/wwii/panzer/images/AA4-Koeln.jpg
http://home.hccnet.nl/e.kooistra/fortzetzung5_6_7.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; the history follows......................

The fighting by Piotrkow - September 1939.

05 Sep 1939.

The Battle Group II (I./SR 12, I./AR 103, 2. /Pz Abw. Abt 49) began its march at dawn and on the route to Piotrkow it found strong resistance in Laski - Zerno by polish troops which were marching to the south. This enemy was destroyed. In the evening was conquered a security position due north of the Prudka. The PR 35 surpassed the group and advanced towards Gemulin.

The Battle Group I (II. /SR 12, II. /AR 103, 1. Pz Abw 49 Abt and one company of the Pi Btl 62) attacked from the north of Siodemka in that same direction; at 14:00 hours the II. /SR 12 attacked the heights of Borowa (Level 226) with the 7. Company to the right, the 5. Company to the left and the 6. Company in reserve and rejected the enemy. When the night settled down the companies fell back and in that situation the 7. /SR 12 was counterattacked without having an organized line of resistance therefore suffering serious losses.

Sources: Aus der Geschichte Panzer Grenadier Regiment 12 (SR 12). Oskar Schaub.
Piotrkow 1939. W. Zalewski. Bellona. Warszawa 2000.
La Campaña de Polonia. Robert Jars. Círculo Militar. Buenos aires.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/wwii/panzer/images/AA4-Koeln.jpg
http://home.hccnet.nl/e.kooistra/fortzetzung5_6_7.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; the history follows......................

The fighting by Piotrkow - September 1939.

05 Sep 1939.

The Germans exploited the penetration immediately and the 4 Pz was sent towards Tomaszow-Maz. to the assault of the positions of the 13 DP; Wolborz fell around midnight conquered by a tank group. A part of the German armor division had to stop and to solve the destiny of thousands of combatants of the 19 DP which with pkl Kwasciszewski (Commander of the division) ahead was taken as prisoners.

During the night the 29 DP launched several counterattacks on the flank of the penetration in order to restrain it, but these attempts were fragmented and without a coordinated plan therefore finished in failures and with strong losses. The German reactions rejected the 29 DP of the Pilica and their elements fell back in disorder.

Sources: Aus der Geschichte Panzer Grenadier Regiment 12 (SR 12). Oskar Schaub.
Piotrkow 1939. W. Zalewski. Bellona. Warszawa 2000.
La Campaña de Polonia. Robert Jars. Círculo Militar. Buenos aires.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/wwii/panzer/images/AA4-Koeln.jpg
http://home.hccnet.nl/e.kooistra/fortzetzung5_6_7.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; the history follows......................

The fighting by Piotrkow - September 1939.

05 Sep 1939.

The PR 36 broke the new Polish front to the east of the line Wolborz - Bedkow and at dusk projected an armored wedge towards Cekanow. The AA 7 protected the left flank towards the northwest from Bedkow. The I./SR 12 followed after the armored vanguard and at dusk it took positions on the left from the highway covering to the north.

The II. /SR 12 followed behind the PR 35 by Laski - Oprzozow - Piotrkow. In Srocko the vanguard (7. /SR 12) was attacked by Polish light armored vehicles; the 5. and the 7. Companies took defensives positions momentarily. The advance continued by Podolin - Czarnocin - Biezwody to Bedkow, where the companies assured during the night. The II. /35 PR took all-round positions due west of Rudnik and the I./PR 35 in Biezwody.

Sources: Aus der Geschichte Panzer Grenadier Regiment 12 (SR 12). Oskar Schaub.
Piotrkow 1939. W. Zalewski. Bellona. Warszawa 2000.
La Campaña de Polonia. Robert Jars. Círculo Militar. Buenos aires.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/wwii/panzer/images/AA4-Koeln.jpg
http://home.hccnet.nl/e.kooistra/fortzetzung5_6_7.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; the history follows......................

The fighting by Piotrkow - September 1939.

06 Sep 1939.

On September 6, 1939, the IR 11 achieved the assigned objective, the outskirts of Przedborz, in the evening. Here it took some rest. The 13th ID (Mot.) was following behind. By nightfall the shooting was increased at Przedborz, especially in the sector of II. Battalion. Oberleutnant Emmerich personally received the order of Oberst Hasse to restore the calm in the town. The14. Company went into position with two Platoons in the middle of the town’s square and opened fire with explosive shells. The effect of the grenades was amazing and the quiet was restored, a house to house search performed by the company yielded no results. The destruction of a bridge over the Czarta delayed the surpassing of the motorized division so that the pause was extended.

The 4 Pz attacked relentlessly throughout the day on September 06 and towards the evening it had reached Tomaszow-Maz. seizing the city's southern sector. The polish 13 DP made one last counterattack to liberate the town with no results and the worn out Polish division could not prevent the Germans to conquer the entire town.

Sources: Aus der Geschichte Panzer Grenadier Regiment 12 (SR 12). Oskar Schaub.
Piotrkow 1939. W. Zalewski. Bellona. Warszawa 2000.
La Campaña de Polonia. Robert Jars. Círculo Militar. Buenos aires.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/wwii/panzer/images/AA4-Koeln.jpg
http://home.hccnet.nl/e.kooistra/fortzetzung5_6_7.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; the history ends......................

The fighting by Piotrkow - September 1939.

06 Sep 1939.

The battle on the Polish side was conducted in a disorderly and erratic manner without the General Dab-Biernacki has been able to know how or to conceive an operation with all his forces, for example the Cavalry Brigade Wilno remained secluded in the forest of Lubién and thus, as the fight ended, three Polish infantry divisions were put out of action one after another.

While the PR 2 fought intensely during September 6, 1939 in Zawada, the SR 1 rejected violent counterattacks on Petrikau Polish / Piotrkow.

Thus, the General v. Reichenau counting on the armored spearhead of the 4th Pz has been able to accomplish the following:

Open the way to Warsaw from Piotrkow to Rawa-Mazowiecka .

It destroyed a large part of Polish reserves.

Isolated the Second Army Corps of Army "Prussia."



Sources: Aus der Geschichte Panzer Grenadier Regiment 12 (SR 12). Oskar Schaub.
Piotrkow 1939. W. Zalewski. Bellona. Warszawa 2000.
La Campaña de Polonia. Robert Jars. Círculo Militar. Buenos aires.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/wwii/panzer/images/AA4-Koeln.jpg
http://home.hccnet.nl/e.kooistra/fortzetzung5_6_7.html

It's all folks. Cheers. Raúl M .

[William Russ]

Hi Tigre,
While I was scanning through the microfilm I found this map. It shows the 8th Army's operation during the Warthe battles.
From: NARA Microfilm T312/37/7545652

best regards, Bill

7545652Rev.jpg (150.8 KiB) Viewed 1438 times

[tigre]

Thank you very much for sharing it Bill, grat help indeed . Cheers. Raúl M .

[Piotr Kapuscinski]

Combats at the Warthe River near Sieradz-Zdunska Wola on 4 - 5 September:

http://www.gallen.republika.pl/1939/mapa.jpg

From "the Second World War in Zdunska Wola" website:

http://www.gallen.republika.pl/1939.html

Zdunska Wola (most probably) in 1939 - German video:

"Gdzie to jest? Zduńska Wola? 1939" ("Where is it? Zdunska Wola? 1939"):

[tigre]

Thanks for those complements Domen . Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little more......................

The fighting by Piotrkow - September 1939.

Sources: http://odkrywca.pl/pokaz_watek.php?id=652592#844316

Cheers. Raúl M .