Re: Samodzielna Grupa Operacyjna - SGO Narew 1939.
Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 6:13 am
Hello to all ; more.......................
Independent Operational Group "Narew".
Defeat at Andrzejewo and Łętownica.
Since the morning, units of the Polish 18th Infantry Division were organizing in their assigned areas. Around 8:00 a.m. their number was as follows: 33rd Infantry Regiment (pp), around 1,300 troops; 42nd Infantry Regiment: about 1,000 troops; 71st Infantry Regiment: about 1,400 troops (with national defense units). Division command with services and subunits now intended exclusively for combat at the front: 600 people. In addition, there were artillery units spread throughout all sections. A separate group was a column of several hundred carts carrying more than 1,500 seriously wounded and sick troops along the Srebrny Borek-Łętownica road.
Due to the threat of a total encirclement, the division commander decided to attack Andrzejewo immediately. Around 9:00 a.m., a unit of approximately one battalion, under the command of Colonel Kossecki, set out to attack. The attack was supported by fire from the 2nd Group of the 18th pal (light artillery regiment). The infantry reached a height north of Andrzejewo.
At this point, a German counterattack was launched, supported by mortar and artillery fire. Colonel Stefan Kossecki was seriously injured. The decimated unit retreated to Łętownica. Renewed fierce fire from the 2nd Group of the 18th pal halted the German counterattack. A new line of resistance was formed at the southern end of Łętownica.
About 20 volunteers volunteered to carry the wounded division commander off the battlefield and set off in a scattered formation along the dirt road from Łętownica to Andrzejewo. However, after advancing approximately 1 km, they were gunned down by massive enemy machine gun fire. At that time, the troops gathered in Łętownica were not yet sufficiently organized to be able to put up strong resistance to the German attackers. It was one of the most critical moments of the last days of the fight. The situation was saved by the 6th Battery of the 18th pal, which fired with maximum intensity and prevented the Germans from continuing to advance.
Colonel Stefan Hertl, taking command of the division, decided to attack Andrzejewo again at 2:30 p.m. Artillery from the Drogoszewo Forest supported the attack in the left sector and artillery units of the 18th dać (Heavy artillery Group) in the right sector. Violent and accurate fire allowed the infantry to drive the enemy from their positions and advance. A German counterattack from both sides of Andrzejewo again stopped the Polish advance, then retreated, but stopped under fire from Polish artillery and heavy machine guns. At around 4:00 p.m. the Germans resumed their attack from the direction of Andrzejewo, but could not advance further because the fire from both Polish artillery groups was so powerful that it stopped them in place.
In this situation, the infantry began to attack and around 4:30 p.m. they pushed the enemy back again. However, the Germans brought in new troops and stopped the Polish attack with massive artillery and intense infantry fire. Around 5:00 p.m. it became stuck due to the total exhaustion of its forces and ammunition. Around the same time that afternoon, the Germans occupied Paproć Duża, from where they launched a strong attack on the side and rear of the right wing of the 18th Infantry Division. Fortunately, they were repulsed by a counterattack from Łętownica, supported by fire from a light artillery group from Drogoszewo.
Source: http://www.lomza.friko.pl/
Wrzesien_1939_roku_na_Bia_ostocczyznie_.pdf
Cheers. Raúl M .
Independent Operational Group "Narew".
Defeat at Andrzejewo and Łętownica.
Since the morning, units of the Polish 18th Infantry Division were organizing in their assigned areas. Around 8:00 a.m. their number was as follows: 33rd Infantry Regiment (pp), around 1,300 troops; 42nd Infantry Regiment: about 1,000 troops; 71st Infantry Regiment: about 1,400 troops (with national defense units). Division command with services and subunits now intended exclusively for combat at the front: 600 people. In addition, there were artillery units spread throughout all sections. A separate group was a column of several hundred carts carrying more than 1,500 seriously wounded and sick troops along the Srebrny Borek-Łętownica road.
Due to the threat of a total encirclement, the division commander decided to attack Andrzejewo immediately. Around 9:00 a.m., a unit of approximately one battalion, under the command of Colonel Kossecki, set out to attack. The attack was supported by fire from the 2nd Group of the 18th pal (light artillery regiment). The infantry reached a height north of Andrzejewo.
At this point, a German counterattack was launched, supported by mortar and artillery fire. Colonel Stefan Kossecki was seriously injured. The decimated unit retreated to Łętownica. Renewed fierce fire from the 2nd Group of the 18th pal halted the German counterattack. A new line of resistance was formed at the southern end of Łętownica.
About 20 volunteers volunteered to carry the wounded division commander off the battlefield and set off in a scattered formation along the dirt road from Łętownica to Andrzejewo. However, after advancing approximately 1 km, they were gunned down by massive enemy machine gun fire. At that time, the troops gathered in Łętownica were not yet sufficiently organized to be able to put up strong resistance to the German attackers. It was one of the most critical moments of the last days of the fight. The situation was saved by the 6th Battery of the 18th pal, which fired with maximum intensity and prevented the Germans from continuing to advance.
Colonel Stefan Hertl, taking command of the division, decided to attack Andrzejewo again at 2:30 p.m. Artillery from the Drogoszewo Forest supported the attack in the left sector and artillery units of the 18th dać (Heavy artillery Group) in the right sector. Violent and accurate fire allowed the infantry to drive the enemy from their positions and advance. A German counterattack from both sides of Andrzejewo again stopped the Polish advance, then retreated, but stopped under fire from Polish artillery and heavy machine guns. At around 4:00 p.m. the Germans resumed their attack from the direction of Andrzejewo, but could not advance further because the fire from both Polish artillery groups was so powerful that it stopped them in place.
In this situation, the infantry began to attack and around 4:30 p.m. they pushed the enemy back again. However, the Germans brought in new troops and stopped the Polish attack with massive artillery and intense infantry fire. Around 5:00 p.m. it became stuck due to the total exhaustion of its forces and ammunition. Around the same time that afternoon, the Germans occupied Paproć Duża, from where they launched a strong attack on the side and rear of the right wing of the 18th Infantry Division. Fortunately, they were repulsed by a counterattack from Łętownica, supported by fire from a light artillery group from Drogoszewo.
Source: http://www.lomza.friko.pl/
Wrzesien_1939_roku_na_Bia_ostocczyznie_.pdf
Cheers. Raúl M .