Incidents of the Polish Campaign, 1939:

[tigre]

Hello to all ; the end...................

WARSAW ... The fate of a city.

The German artillery has taken its place in the fight. The dive bombers were 100% effective in destroying the military targets in the city. A dense cloud of smoke floating over Warsaw. The German assault troops went against the fortified outer belt. Fort Mokotowski has been taken and on September 27, 1939 the Polish capital city surrendered unconditionally.

The Polish troops left the city and on October 2, 1939 the first German troops entered the capital.

Sources: Die.Wehrmacht.-.Der.Freiheitskampf.des.großdeutschen.Volkes.(1940)

It's all folks. Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a new short story ..........

On the way to Lodz - September 1939.

The IR 55 was part of the 17. ID within the XIII AK; the mission of the division, reinforced by the I. / PR 23 and the LAH, was to progress towards Lodz in order to protect the northern flank of the forces advancing towards Warsaw.

On September 1, 1939 at 04:45 hours the attack groups of the division crossed the border, jumping from its readiness areas east of Bernstadt. After overcoming the resistance along the border, the assigned target, Wieruszow, was reached at dusk. However, the bridge over the Prosna was already demolished.

Sources: Der Feldzug in Polen - ID Wiedersehenstag der 17 Oktober 1958.
http://odkrywca.pl/wrzesien-1939-zdjeci ... 50461.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows..........

On the way to Lodz - September 1939.

In sweltering heat, marching along poor roads and delayed by demolitions, the unit continued its march towards the Warta, which was reached by the spearheads of the regiments by noon on September 4, 1939 in the sector of Bobrowniki - Chojne.

Sources: Der Feldzug in Polen - ID Wiedersehenstag der 17 Oktober 1958.
http://odkrywca.pl/wrzesien-1939-zdjeci ... 50461.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows..........

On the way to Lodz - September 1939.

Across the river the Poles had established a strong defensive deployment. During the night of 4 and dawn of September 5, 1939 German troops crossed the river and attacked the enemy's positions at Stronko and windmill's height in Belen. At dusk the hard resistance of the Polish defenders could be finally broken.

Sources: Der Feldzug in Polen - ID Wiedersehenstag der 17 Oktober 1958.
http://odkrywca.pl/wrzesien-1939-zdjeci ... 50461.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows..........

On the way to Lodz - September 1939.

During the pursuit of the retreating opponent, the advance continued towards Lodz by Zdunska-Wola and Lask, the latter towns were conquered by the division.

Sources: Der Feldzug in Polen - ID Wiedersehenstag der 17 Oktober 1958.
http://odkrywca.pl/wrzesien-1939-zdjeci ... 50461.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows..........

On the way to Lodz - September 1939.

Before Pabianice once again the 17. ID faced strong resistance from Polish rearguard, nevertheless the resistance was broken at nightfall. On the morning of September 9, 1939, the division entered Lodz, to the delight of the ethnic German population.

Sources: Der Feldzug in Polen - ID Wiedersehenstag der 17 Oktober 1958.
http://odkrywca.pl/wrzesien-1939-zdjeci ... 50461.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; something more follows..........

Death of Generaloberst Freiherr von Fritsch.

On September 22, 1939 at approximately 09:00 hours he was killed in the suburb of Praga on the wall of the slaughterhouse located between Zacisze and Ząbki, after the failed assault of the 1. Company of Leutnant Lieser when a bullet caliber 7.92 mm perforated the main artery of his thigh. The General fell and quickly lost strength.

Leutnant Rosenhagen told that he tried to put a tourniquet on the thigh but von Fritsch said please leave it, adjusted his monocle and died the next minute. The General showed extreme cold blood at all times. Minutes later Rosenhagen was also hit.

According to a Polish story: on September 21, 1939 the Germans managed to take a small ink factory before the first Polish lines, encouraging attacks on the farm Zacisze. The sector was defended by the 41 Rifle Battalion of Suwalki commanded by maj. Kazimierz Buncler who ordered por. Jan Borkowski with two sections to advance on Zabyczki.

Polish action began on September 22 in the morning but a German heavy machine gun located on the farm stopped the advance of the Poles. The por. Borkowski moved to a Polish machine gun to verify the situation. The Polish officer set the correct aim of the weapon and controlled the situation.

A duel between the two opposing guns ensued and then three German officers arrived and followed the action. Apparently convinced that the Polish gun was neutralized they took a map and checked on it.

The por. Borkowski who was still with the machine gun, fired a series of three short blasts on the group and the German officers fell to the ground. Taking advantage of the confusion in the opposing side, por. Borkowski retook the factory.

Sources: odkrywca.pl/wrzesien-1939-zdjecia-czesc-9-,620238.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

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

Pz Kw IV burned at Babice Ozarow.

Sep 18, 1939: The 2nd Company (PR 11) also was engaged against Truskaw on the evening. In this action, there were heavy losses. Maj. Mecke was wounded, about 5 men were KIA and the Platoon of Leutnant von Ratibor, which had to carry out a special task with the 6./ KSR 4 was missing.

Later Leutnant (W) Kopp wrote: the smallest unit is the tank company. No blocking positions of smaller units. No subordination under the infantry. No actions in the woods. And what did they. They sent the Platoon of Leutnant von Ratibor into the forests and the Platoon was shot down promptly.

Oberleutnant Saalbach wrote in his diary: On the road to Sierakow standing in the woods on a trail was the tank of Leutnant Prinz von Ratibor. He looked incredibly from outside: hit in the side by several grenades, which had detonated the ammunition inside the tank. It was completely burned and destroyed. I think the photos were from this tank .......

Sources: Panzerregiment 11/Panzerabteilung 65 im Krieg – Der Einsatz gegen Polen.
http://odkrywca.pl/panzer39-wraki-czesc ... 30647.html

Although was told it's a Pz Kw IV Ausf. B, I think it's a Pz Kw IV Ausf. C. Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

He looked incredibly from outside

should be: It looked..................

[tigre]

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

Pz Kw IV knocked out by anti-tank shot in Polskie Laki.

2. Polskie Łąki - 03.09.1939. - 3. Panzer-Division - Panzer-Regiment 6

Although it was told the date as Sep, 03 in fact it took place on Sep 02 in the evening as follows:

Polish story: The I./ 23 pp ( Pułku Piechoty - Infantry Regiment) got the order to leave towards Bydgoszcz via Polskie Łąki-Różannę. At dusk the battalion left its positions in Szewna heading for the south-east. After reaching Polskie Łąki, the Polish battalion came across a just arrived group of German tanks. After the first fire fight, during which two German tanks were damaged, both sides jumped out one from another. The battalion scattered quickly and retreated due north to the area of Bukowiec. One of the tanks was destroyed at the village's exit by a Polish gun, located in the area of the Catholic cemetery.

German story: The II./ PR 6 moved ahead again on the evening at 20:00 hours. The 8. Company (Hauptmann Bernewitz) pushed forward to Polskie Łąki. Here the tanks encounter one surprisingly strong antitank defense. Three tanks were hit. Then the Abteilung jumped out 1,000 meters, in order to shell the village and in the night took a defensive position. "Geschichte der 3. Panzer-Division Berlin-Brandenburg 1935-1945", Berlin 1967.

Source: http://odkrywca.pl/bukowiec-1939-2009-2 ... 57753.html
http://odkrywca.pl/panzer39-wraki-czesc ... tml#667803

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

In the foreground the cupola of the Pz kw IV Ausf. A..........................

actually from the tank turret. Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; something more......................

Pz Kw IV destroyed around Ćwiklice.

Ćwiklice - 02.09.1939 - 5. Panzer-Division - Panzer-Regiment 31. - 4. company

Although it is mentioned that it belongs to the PR 31 of 5. Pz, after reading on this I've a little doubt......

Polish story: After marching approx. 600 m the infantry was attacked from the wing by an armored raid, carried out by the I./ PR 15 (Maj. Schmal) going to the back of Ćwiklice. The II./ 16 pp dug in and took the fight [19]. Some of the soldiers hid in the trenches along the road to Miedźnej, and the rest dug in a potato field. Standing in the middle of the road some anti-tank guns, which engaged in a duel with the tanks [20]. The III. Battalion did not leave out of the woods yet [21] but dug in on its edges. At first the armored troops, fearful of the artillery, did not engage initially with the infantry. .......the German tanks did not attack the wood, but worked in the annihilation of the artillery in Jankowice...........
http://www.mmtarnow.com/2012/12/16-puk- ... iej-1.html

German story: At 11:15 hours was conquered Laka. The armored attack continued behind the fortified line against strong enemy resistance, reinforced with artillery. Through decisive action the PR 15 (again with the II. / PR 15) put out of action six light batteries and a heavy one southeast and east of Pless and annihilated the resistance of the remnants of the Polish 6th Infantry Division. Geschichte der 5. Panzerdivision Anton D. vonPlatto

Hauptmann von Reinhardt - Epitaph Joachim von Stünzner:

"At the end of the attack east of Ćwiklice we encountered heavy resistance supported by anti-tank guns and artillery. I ordered the company next to mine to pull forward. During this maneuver, the driver of Joachim von Stünzner drove down 3 enemy cannon but was hit in the caterpillar. [Moments later] Fast and powerful tank fire blew and your son just came out of his tank with a gun towards the defenders. Fifty soldiers raised their hands up and your son took them captive, holding the side at gunpoint until the arrival of the rest of the battalion......a Polish soldier hidden in the potato field shot him in the back and the bullet went straight to the heart..... "
http://www.historycy.org/index.php?showtopic=48770

Source: http://odkrywca.pl/panzer39-wraki-czesc ... 59785.html

Could be the picture of the tank of Hptm Joachim von Stünzner (6. / PR 15)? Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas - Wesołych Świąt!.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; something more......................

The story of the PR 11 does not mention this town but: On September 10, 1939, while the I. / PR 11 (Maj. Stephan) was moving toward Ryczywół in order to support the riflemen in the Radomka crossing, the 1./ PR 11 (Hptm Jürgens) was pressed into Rogozek reinforced with a Platoon of Pz Kw IV of the 3./ PR 11. The 1. Company moved through the forest and reached Rogozek without finding enemy tanks. But the 3./ PR 11 came to another town along with the 5./ KSR 4 (this town would be Głowaczów). There they met the Polish 44 pp (13 DP) reinforced with 7 tanks 7TP (kpt. Gorski) and after two hours of fighting had to retreat losing 2? Pz Kw IV. (below a photo of a Pz Kw IV at Głowaczów?).

Source: Udzial I Batalionu Czolgow Lekkich w Walkach or Głowaczów 10 Wrzesnia 1939 R.
Panzerregiment 11/65 Panzerabteilung 1937-1945.

Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas - Wesołych Świąt!.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; something more......................

Pz Kw IV destroyed in Mszczonów.

On Sep 11, 1939 at 04:00 enemy forces supported by artillery and local civilians at regiment strength attack supply-units of the division (4. Pz Div) in Mszczonow. Especially the Werkstattkompanie (workshop company) of the PR 36 suffered high losses. The city is burning and the enemy forces disappeared as fast as they showed up.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, Mszczonów was a particularly important communication point on the route to Warsaw (and of the German offensive). First past through it the retreating Army "Łódź", then swept through its streets the German armored columns moving on Warsaw, then on September 11, the city was hit by a daring night attack carried out by the 31 psK (pułku Strzelców Kaniowskich), commanded by ppłk (Lieutenant-Colonel) Vincent Wnuk, which totally surprised the German troops.

Source: http://odkrywca.pl/niemcy-w-mszczonowie ... tml#320040.
http://chrito.users1.50megs.com/1939/se ... r_1939.htm (off-line)

Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Año Nuevo - Happy New Year - feliz Ano Novo - gluckliches Neues Jahr - Bonne Année - Felice Anno Nuovo - Szczęśliwego nowego roku!!

[Prosper Vandenbroucke]

Hello raul;
I didn't know if you put it on line but here are 3 other pictures.

2_copy834.jpg (73.39 KiB) Viewed 8360 times

b2bkmgmkkgrhqihdqeqtv2dy8dbktu2hn6dq_12.jpg (43.64 KiB) Viewed 8360 times

kkkk2.jpg (64.76 KiB) Viewed 8360 times

The pictures are extracted of the Axishistory forum.
Best regards
Prosper