Polish Calavry against Germans 1939

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For details of the Polish Army in 1939 see S Zaloga a nd V Madej The Polish Campiagn 1939 ISBN 0 88254 994 4

Polish 18th Lancer regiment near Chojnice in the Polish corridor attacked a german infantry battalion of the 20th motorised ID. The mounted sabre charge emerged from woods gaining surprise and scattered the germans. A number of german armoured cars appeared took the Poles under fire and the Poles withdrew losing their regimental commander.
Italian war correspondants were shown the scene the next day and were told that the Polish troopers were killed attacking tanks. Their story was later used to display the backwardness of the Poles.

In fact Polish cavalry brigades had an armoured group attached equipped with armoured cars and tankettes so they were aware of what armoured vehicles were like and capable of.

see also Cavalry of world war 2 by J Piekalkiewicz ISBN o 85613 022 2 for further actions of polish cavalry.