Polish 12th Infantry Division
Encyclopedia
Polish 12th Kresy Infantry Division (Polish: 12 Kresowa Dywizja Piechoty), was a tactical unit of the Polish Army in the interbellum period, which was stationed in Tarnopol. It consisted of several regiments, scattered in towns of Podolia
:
. In early September 1939, it was transported from Tarnopol to the area of Kielce
.
On September 7, 12th I.D. left its positions by Skarżysko-Kamienna
and headed towards Iłża. There, it engaged in combat with 3rd Light Division of the Wehrmacht
. In the following days, the unit fought a bloody battle with German XV Light Corps of General Hermann Hoth
. On September 9, Polish soldiers managed to get to German positions, but were stopped by tanks. As a result, the Poles panicked, the Division was cut off from the line of the Vistula
and as such ceased to exist. Its remnants managed to cross the river and were recreated as brigades, taking part in the Battle of Tomaszów Lubelski
, where they capitulated on September 27.
was prepared, the 12th I.D. was recreated in the area of Tarnopol and Lwów.
. A combined infantry regiment from storage division took part in the Action "Wisla" in 1947, against the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.
In December 1958 the 12th Infantry Division was reorganized as a mechanised division.
Podolia
The region of Podolia is an historical region in the west-central and south-west portions of present-day Ukraine, corresponding to Khmelnytskyi Oblast and Vinnytsia Oblast. Northern Transnistria, in Moldova, is also a part of Podolia...
:
- 51st Kresy Rifles Infantry Regiment of Giuseppe GaribaldiGiuseppe GaribaldiGiuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian military and political figure. In his twenties, he joined the Carbonari Italian patriot revolutionaries, and fled Italy after a failed insurrection. Garibaldi took part in the War of the Farrapos and the Uruguayan Civil War leading the Italian Legion, and...
, stationed in Brzeżany and Czortkow, - 52nd Kresy Rifles Infantry Regiment, stationed in Zloczow,
- 54th Kresy Rifles Infantry Regiment, stationed in Tarnopol,
- 12th Kresy Light Artillery Regiment, stationed in Zloczow,
- 12th Heavy Artillery Regiment, stationed in Tarnopol.
Polish September Campaign
In June 1939 the Division, under General Gustaw Paszkiewicz, was ordered to remain in reserve, and became part of the southern wing of the Prusy ArmyPrusy Army
The Prusy Army was one of the Polish armies to fight during the Invasion of Poland in 1939. Created in the summer of 1939 as the main reserve of the Commander in Chief, it was commanded by Gen. Stefan Dąb-Biernacki. One of the meanings of Prusy in Polish is Prussia, but this name only served as a...
. In early September 1939, it was transported from Tarnopol to the area of Kielce
Kielce
Kielce ) is a city in central Poland with 204,891 inhabitants . It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship...
.
On September 7, 12th I.D. left its positions by Skarżysko-Kamienna
Skarzysko-Kamienna
Skarżysko-Kamienna is a town in northern Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship in Poland by Kamienna river, to the north of Świętokrzyskie Mountains; one of the voivodship's major towns...
and headed towards Iłża. There, it engaged in combat with 3rd Light Division of the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
. In the following days, the unit fought a bloody battle with German XV Light Corps of General Hermann Hoth
Hermann Hoth
Hermann "Papa" Hoth was an officer in the German military from 1903 to 1945. He attained the rank of Generaloberst during World War II. He fought in France, but is most noted for his later exploits as a panzer commander on the Eastern Front...
. On September 9, Polish soldiers managed to get to German positions, but were stopped by tanks. As a result, the Poles panicked, the Division was cut off from the line of the Vistula
Vistula
The Vistula is the longest and the most important river in Poland, at 1,047 km in length. The watershed area of the Vistula is , of which lies within Poland ....
and as such ceased to exist. Its remnants managed to cross the river and were recreated as brigades, taking part in the Battle of Tomaszów Lubelski
Battle of Tomaszów Lubelski
Battle of Tomaszów Lubelski took place from 17 September to 26 September 1939 near the town of Tomaszów Lubelski. It was the second largest battle of the Invasion of Poland and also the largest tank battle of the campaign. It resulted in the destruction of the Polish forces...
, where they capitulated on September 27.
1944
In the first half of 1944, when Operation TempestOperation Tempest
Operation Tempest was a series of uprisings conducted during World War II by the Polish Home Army , the dominant force in the Polish resistance....
was prepared, the 12th I.D. was recreated in the area of Tarnopol and Lwów.
Polish Peoples' Army
The 12 Infantry Division was reformed within the People's Army of Poland in 1945, as a part of the Second Army. Its main task was to protect the border in the region of SzczecinSzczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
. A combined infantry regiment from storage division took part in the Action "Wisla" in 1947, against the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.
In December 1958 the 12th Infantry Division was reorganized as a mechanised division.
See also
- Polish army order of battle in 1939Polish army order of battle in 1939Polish OOB during the Invasion of Poland. In the late thirties Polish headquarters prepared "Plan Zachód" , a plan of mobilization of Polish Army in case of war with Germany...
- Polish contribution to World War IIPolish contribution to World War IIThe European theater of World War II opened with the German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939. The Polish Army was defeated after over a month of fighting. After Poland had been overrun, a government-in-exile , armed forces, and an intelligence service were established outside of Poland....