Czechoslovak Legion (1939)
Encyclopedia
Czechoslovak Legion of 1939 was formed in Second Polish Republic
after Germany occupied Czechoslovakia in March 1939. While about 4000 Czechs and Slovaks joined the French Foreign Legion
, about a 1000 chose to go to Poland, which looked likely to be involved in hostilities with Germany in the near future, and which gave permission for a formation of a dedicated Czechoslovak unit, in tradition of the First World War Czechoslovak Legions
. The Legion had a strength of about 700 soldiers, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Ludvík Svoboda
; about 200 flying personnel were instead assigned to a Czechoslovak Reconnaissance Squadron. The ground Legion was however not fully formed by the time of German invasion of Poland on 1 September. Most of the soldiers were eventually interned by the invading Soviets
on 17 September, while others crossed the Polish-Romanian border and were interned in Romania
. The Reconnaissance Squadron was involved in the fight in the air alongside the Polish Air Force
, although primarily in the reconnaissance role, as the aircraft they received from Poland (Potez XXV, RWD-8 and PWS-26
), were mostly obsolete in air combat.
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
after Germany occupied Czechoslovakia in March 1939. While about 4000 Czechs and Slovaks joined the French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
, about a 1000 chose to go to Poland, which looked likely to be involved in hostilities with Germany in the near future, and which gave permission for a formation of a dedicated Czechoslovak unit, in tradition of the First World War Czechoslovak Legions
Czechoslovak Legions
The Czechoslovak Legions were volunteer armed forces composed predominantly of Czechs and Slovaks fighting together with the Entente powers during World War I...
. The Legion had a strength of about 700 soldiers, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Ludvík Svoboda
Ludvík Svoboda
thumb|Svoboda and [[I Corps |I Czechoslovak Army Corps]]Ludvík Svoboda was a Czechoslovak general and politician...
; about 200 flying personnel were instead assigned to a Czechoslovak Reconnaissance Squadron. The ground Legion was however not fully formed by the time of German invasion of Poland on 1 September. Most of the soldiers were eventually interned by the invading Soviets
Soviet invasion of Poland (1939)
The 1939 Soviet invasion of Poland was a Soviet military operation that started without a formal declaration of war on 17 September 1939, during the early stages of World War II. Sixteen days after Nazi Germany invaded Poland from the west, the Soviet Union did so from the east...
on 17 September, while others crossed the Polish-Romanian border and were interned in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. The Reconnaissance Squadron was involved in the fight in the air alongside the Polish Air Force
Polish Air Force
The Polish Air Force is the military Air Force wing of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej...
, although primarily in the reconnaissance role, as the aircraft they received from Poland (Potez XXV, RWD-8 and PWS-26
PWS-26
-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 -See also:...
), were mostly obsolete in air combat.
Further reading
- Legion czechosłowacki w Polsce, Śląski Instytut Naukowy, Katowice 1989