More about "activity" of Polish 1st Armoured Div.

[Musashi]

I found out many interesting information on a Polish historical forum lately. They are not war crimes, so I didn't create this topic there.

Polish soldiers of the 1st Armoured Division copied many tricks which they learnt from the German soldiers during the Polish campaign in September 1939 and applied them upon their former "teachers".
Entering German territory the tankmen sprayed with machinegun fire brushes and fences as potential places for ambushes.
They also shelled with incendiary gun ammunition all inflammable objects (buildings, huts, barns, etc.) which occured in the zone of attack of the division.
Both methods turned out to be very effective and were applied by the German tankmen in the Polish campaign in 1939 with a great effect.

The capitulation of the main Kriegsmarine base in Wilhelmshaven was aligned for 5. May 1945 at 8:00. Gen. Franciszek Skibiñski, the vice-commander of the division ordered Polish artillery to shell the city until 7:59. This method was applied several times by Germans during the Polish campaign, for example during the capitulation of Modlin killing many soldiers. The shelling began 30 minutes before the aligned term of the capitulation and was lasting until the one before last minute.
Neither Polish nor German behaviour cannot be considered a war crime.

Having met the POWs from the 21. Panzerdivision which had been formed from 4th Light Division and fought against 10 Armoured Cavalry Brigade in 1939 (many Polish soldiers of the division became from this brigade) Gen. Skibiñski said: "we sought each others for long to settle".

Meetings of Polish soldiers with German women took so mass scale, that the commander of the division issued a special order forbiding that.
I don't have an information about these "meetings" and if they were gratuitous.

[Gertjan]

The 1 Polish armoured division has fought in the Netherlands and liberated (amongst others) Breda. I doubt that they used such destructive methods in the Netherlands. Since I am currently not at home for a while I cannot confirm it, so it stays an assumption!

After the war quite a number of Polish soldiers stayed in the Netherlands and became a part of the Dutch society.

regards,

Gertjan

[Musashi]

The 1 Polish armoured division has fought in the Netherlands and liberated (amongst others) Breda.

And Axel.
BTW
I try to gather materials about OoB and ToE of this division for a few Dutchmen who make a mod for a game Close Combat.

I doubt that they used such destructive methods in the Netherlands. Since I am currently not at home for a while I cannot confirm it, so it stays an assumption!

I wrote "entering German territory". I don't see a reason to behave so in the Dutch territory. It would be strange if the tankmen had behaved so in Holland.
The Dutchmen I know wrote the soldiers of the Polish divison had not used artillery liberating Breda, because they had not wanted to destroy the city.

After the war quite a number of Polish soldiers stayed in the Netherlands and became a part of the Dutch society.

Yes, I know about it. Besides I saw Polish military cementaries on television and they are in a very good condition. Dutch people take much care of them.

Regards,
Chris