Battle of Chernobyl 1920

[Piotr Kapuscinski]

A rather unknown card in the history of this town due to the more well-known events that followed:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of ... byl_(1920)

"The Battle of Czarnobyl took place on April 27, 1920, near the town of Chernobyl, Ukraine, during the Polish-Soviet War. It was part of the Kiev Operation of the Polish Army, and it ended in Polish victory.

The main Polish unit, which operated in the swampy area of Polesie, was the 9th Infantry Division from Siedlce, commanded by General Władysław Sikorski. Its first task was to seize Chornobyl, an important Prypiat river port, and a base of the Soviet Dnieper Flotilla, which operated at the confluence of the Prypiat, and which protected the rear of the Red Army units fighting near Kiev. To capture Chornobyl, General Sikorski created the Cavalry Group of Major Jaworski, supported by the newly created Riverine Flotilla of the Polish Navy.

On April 25, at 4:00 a.m., the Cavalry Group left the village of Demowicze and headed towards Chernobyl. Together with the cavalry, boats of the Flotilla sailed on the Prypiat. After a few hours, they were attacked by Soviet boats.[1] Polish motorboats destroyed one Soviet unit and forced the enemy into retreat. At the village of Koszarowka, Major Jaworski divided his soldiers into two groups: the first, commanded by him personally, was to attack the town from north. The other, commanded by Colonel Kazimierz Galinski, was ordered to attack from the west. Both attacks were scheduled for April 27 in the morning.

Chernobyl was defended by Soviet 61st Rifle Brigade, supported by twelve boats of the Dnieper Flotilla, which were armed with cannons and heavy machine guns.

Polish columns left their positions in the evening of April 26. The next morning, the group of Major Jaworski reached the village of Lelow, where it clashed with parts of the Soviet 61st Rifle Regiment and the Dnieper Flotilla. Thanks to support of the Polish Pinsk Flotilla, Major Jaworski and his soldiers broke through Soviet positions and opened the way towards Chornobyl. Nevertheless, due to this clash, Jaworski was late, compared to the second column, which had already attacked Chernobyl on April 27, at 5 a.m.

Despite Soviet resistance, the infantry of the 34th Regiment, supported by an artillery battery, seized a cemetery and green areas located west of the town. At approximately 5 a.m., the unit of Major Jaworski also appeared on the spot, together with the Pinsk Flotilla. It immediately assaulted Soviet positions, forcing the enemy to retreat. The battle quickly turned into a rout, as Polish units chased fleeing Soviets. The Dnieper Flotilla retreated to the Pripyat estuary, and Polish boats returned to the port of Chernobyl.

The Battle of Czarnobyl was commemorated on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Warsaw, with the inscription: CZERNOBYL 27 IV 1920."

[henryk]

To clarify, references to Soviet before 1922, refer to Soviet Russia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_o ... 2%80%9327)

The history of Soviet Russia and the Soviet Union reflects a period of change for both Russia and the world. Though the terms Soviet Russia and Soviet Union are synonymous in everyday vocabulary, Soviet Russia, in the context of the foundation of the Soviet Union, refers to the few years after the abdication of the crown of the Russian Empire by Tsar Nicholas II (in 1917), but before the creation of the Soviet Union in 1922.

[lupodimare89]

Just to provide a bit of other side info (concerning riverine fightings):

On April 25, at 4:00 a.m., the Cavalry Group left the village of Demowicze and headed towards Chernobyl. Together with the cavalry, boats of the Flotilla sailed on the Prypiat. After a few hours, they were attacked by Soviet boats.[1] Polish motorboats destroyed one Soviet unit and forced the enemy into retreat.

I found no indication on Soviet/Russian data about a riverine battle (or losses) occurred on 25 April.
Soviet reported an unclear number of riverine crafts abandoned and seized by Polish forces, so maybe
1) Polish gunboats shelled one of such boats
2) The closest loss is Soviet gunboat "Gubitelnyy" (interestingly it was former White riverine gunboat "Dobrovolets" captured in battle), but it is indicated as date 28 April, and reportedly by ground artillery.
Possibly the author merged the events?



Worth to mention it's also some other Soviet losses to Polish action:
During the breakthrough of Loyev bridges gunboat "Metkiy" was lost by combined grounding and Polish artillery fire.
On 25 May 1920, during the Battle of Rzhyshchiv (Soviet garrison defeated and pulled back), it appears there was the only (to me) semi-confirmed direct riverine clash between gunboats: Soviet gunboats "Grozyashchiy" and "Moguchiy" each suffered 2 hits with damages by either Polish ground artillery and/or gunboats.


Other Soviet losses on the theatre were:
Minesweeping boat "Mina" sunk on 23/May/20 on own Soviet mines laid previously.
Soviet gunboat "Moguchiy" damaged by Polish aircrafts (5 KIA, 22 WIA) on 5/Jun/20.



Only Polish loss to Soviet direct action was:
A supply/tender boat "T-2" (ex- Soviet steamer "Voron" captured 3 days earlier) intercepted and seized by Soviet small boats on 28/Apr/20.

[crolick]

On April 25, at 4:00 a.m., the Cavalry Group left the village of Demowicze and headed towards Chernobyl. Together with the cavalry, boats of the Flotilla sailed on the Prypiat. After a few hours, they were attacked by Soviet boats.[1] Polish motorboats destroyed one Soviet unit and forced the enemy into retreat.

I found no indication on Soviet/Russian data about a riverine battle (or losses) occurred on 25 April.

Polish original sources from 1920's indicate that after 9 PM on April 25th near Koszarówka a group of 5 enemy boats was sighted. Both artillery from 9th Artillery Regiment and Polish Riverine Flotilla open fire to enemy vessels of which one presumably received 1 hit (it is supposed to be PRYTKIJ).
There was 1 WIA on-board one of the Polish motorboats.
No mention of any destroyed vessel.

The closest loss is Soviet gunboat "Gubitelnyy" (interestingly it was former White riverine gunboat "Dobrovolets" captured in battle), but it is indicated as date 28 April, and reportedly by ground artillery.

According to original sources GUBITIELNYJ was sunk on April 27th around 10 AM after receiving direct hit from P.I (most probably lucky hit on the ammunition which blow up the whole ship).
Do you know number of KIA on GUBITIELNYJ?

During the breakthrough of Loyev bridges gunboat "Metkiy" was lost by combined grounding and Polish artillery fire.
On 25 May 1920, during the Battle of Rzhyshchiv (Soviet garrison defeated and pulled back), it appears there was the only (to me) semi-confirmed direct riverine clash between gunboats: Soviet gunboats "Grozyashchiy" and "Moguchiy" each suffered 2 hits with damages by either Polish ground artillery and/or gunboats.

MIETKIJ was sunk on June 2nd.
As far as I am aware during Battle of Rżyszew no Polish riverine vessels were involved.
So any damaged must have been from the ground artillery.

A supply/tender boat "T-2" (ex- Soviet steamer "Voron" captured 3 days earlier) intercepted and seized by Soviet small boats on 28/Apr/20.

WORON was captured on March 20th in Narowla.


Hope that helps!

[lupodimare89]

There is a very good book of riverine warfare during the 1918-1922 war in Russia and related conflicts, by Aleksandr Borisovich Shirokorad who is a very pro-White/anti-Soviet strong view-point (at the point of being barely reliable for all the strategic/tactical decisions, BUT is very good because make detailed losses of ships and boats lost, damaged etc.). I will try to retrieve data to fill the gap and merge the scenarios.

I have also to say that for this kind of riverine warfare, it can be pretty much common for ships to observe incoming fire and believe it is from from other ships while it's coming from ground artillery (and vice-versa!).

Code: Select all

 As far as I am aware during Battle of Rżyszew no Polish riverine vessels were involved.

That could be one of such cases, because during the Battle, the book recalled each time the two sides took and re-took the city, with a riverine clash reportedly occurred also on 22 May (but no Soviet damages and no claims of hits inflicted).

A similar gunboat vs gunboat clash could have occurred on 5 June at Pechek, again without apparent consequences on both sides.
Similar skirmishes apparently occurred also on different localities on 6 and 10 June



Another potential soviet success occurred on 29 June at Mozyr.
Two Soviet gunboats attacked (and claimed damage?) on a Polish armored train close the shore, then shelled(hit?) a steamer on the pier.
Name is unknown to me, but the ship was apparently abandoned under Soviet fire (or abandoned earlier?) and seized. Soviets indicate it was used as headquarters for the officers of the Polish 9th Infantry Division



The last notable action occurred on 1 July 1920, with multiple Soviet ships attacking Novosyolki with a trickery.
White Flags onboard, and Polish-speaker men on deck, a landing party of 80 men retrieved:
documents of the 34th Regiment of Poznan,
30 military horses,
machine guns, rifles and canned food
There are no indications of damages/casualties on ships and sailors (they calimed to have hit an armored train), but maybe the landing party suffered casualties. A polish account of the attack/raid could be interesting.

[crolick]

A similar gunboat vs gunboat clash could have occurred on 5 June at Pechek, again without apparent consequences on both sides.

I cannot find any place with the name similar to above.
There was inconclusive skirmish on June 5th between P.I & motorboats and 4 (later 2) Soviet steamers in the area of Stracholesie and Okuninowo where Bolsheviks tried to rebuilt destroyed bridge.

Another potential soviet success occurred on 29 June at Mozyr.
Two Soviet gunboats attacked (and claimed damage?) on a Polish armored train close the shore, then shelled(hit?) a steamer on the pier.
Name is unknown to me, but the ship was apparently abandoned under Soviet fire (or abandoned earlier?) and seized. Soviets indicate it was used as headquarters for the officers of the Polish 9th Infantry Division

Of course there was no armored train near Mozyrz at that day. The only armored train (best ot my knowledge) which was in vicinity was GENERAŁ SIKORSKI which was operating near Słoweczno.
No Polish vessels operating near Mozyrz around June 29th.
The vessel to which you were referring was already abandoned. This was HQ for Grupa Poleska.

The last notable action occurred on 1 July 1920, with multiple Soviet ships attacking Novosyolki with a trickery.
White Flags onboard, and Polish-speaker men on deck, a landing party of 80 men retrieved:
documents of the 34th Regiment of Poznan,
30 military horses,
machine guns, rifles and canned food
There are no indications of damages/casualties on ships and sailors (they calimed to have hit an armored train), but maybe the landing party suffered casualties. A polish account of the attack/raid could be interesting.

Around 4 Am under the fog 6 Soviet steamers approach Bagrymowicz. Of those 6 two follow downstream where 18 BP is located (in Nowosiółek there was 34 PP and II batalion 22 PP). Both ships enter Nowosiółek where IX bsap is building a bridge. Assault from both ships demolish IX bsap and any advance by Polish infantry is surpassed by the fire from 2 ships.
Again no armored train or whatsoever.