Polish 8th Infantry Division
Encyclopedia
The 8th Infantry Division was a tactical unit
of the Polish Army. It was active in the Polish-Bolshevik War, as well as during the Invasion of Poland
in 1939. During World War II
, the division was reformed twice as part of two distinct armed forces: once as part of the Home Army during the Warsaw Uprising
and again as part of the Polish Army in the East.
as one of the first large infantry units of the renascent Polish state. It took part in the Polish-Bolshevik War. At the end of the war, in September 1920 the division (then composed of four infantry regiments (namely 13th, 21st, 33rd and 36th
) had 6210 men under arms and formed the core of the Reserves of the General Staff, along with the Siberian Brigade and 20th Infantry Division. As part of Gen. Latinik's Operational Group
of Gen. Iwaszkiewicz's Polish 6th Army, the division (then commanded by Col. Stanisław Burhardt-Bukacki) took part in the Battle of Lwów
and Polish-Ukrainian operations in Bolshevik-held Ukraine.
After the cease-fire and the Treaty of Riga, the division was partially demobilized and its regiments were stationed in a number of Mazovia
n towns, including Modlin, Pułtusk, Warsaw
, Działdowo and Płock.
, the division was mobilized and dispatched to the area west of Ciechanów
, where it was to form a strategic reserve of the Polish Modlin Army
defending the Modlin Fortress
and the northern approaches to Warsaw
. Commanded by Col. Teodor Wyrwa-Furgalski, the unit was to enter combat should the Germans break through the Polish lines. However, already on September 2, the division was dispatched to the area of Mława, where it was to support the Polish units fighting in the Battle of Mława.
The 8th Division arrived in the area in the early hours of September 3. As the Mazovian Cavalry Brigade operating further eastwards was also endangered by German armoured troops, the army commander ordered the division to split its forces and attack in two directions: towards Grudusk
east of Mława and towards Przasnysz
. However, conflicting orders and German saboteurs
operating in the rear disrupted both attacks and led to chaos in the Polish ranks. The situation was further complicated by insufficient reconnaissance, which led to several skirmishes between friendly forces
. At first, the organic cavalry assaulted the staff company, mistakenly taking it for enemy forces, while later that day the 13th Infantry Regiment assaulted 32nd Infantry Regiment of Lt.Col. Stefan Zając.
In the evening, the division was mostly dispersed and only the 21st Infantry Regiment of Colonel (later General) Stanisław Sosabowski managed to withdraw from the fights towards the Modlin Fortress
. His forces were later joined by elements of the 13th Regiment rallied by its commander, while the remnants of the division, including the major part of the 32nd Regiment, were rallied by the division's commanding officer west of Opinogóra
. The latter group started a retreat towards Modlin, where it suffered significant casualties from enemy aerial bombardment.
Finally, the division arrived at the Modlin Fortress
, where it received reinforcements and manned the defences of the area. The 32nd Regiment manned the Forts No. 1 and 2, the organic artillery (including the 8th Heavy Artillery Detachment) manned the line east of Kazuń. Overnight of September 7, the 21st Regiment arrived in the area, but was then dispatched further southwards to take part in the battle of Warsaw
, while the 13th Regiment under Lt.Col. Alojzy Nowak manned the line along the Vistula
near Gniewniewice, west of Modlin. Despite being badly shaken in the first days of the war, the division was successfully reorganized and defended its positions until the capitulation
of the Modlin Fortress on September 29.
, in February 1942, a Polish division started to be formed in Chok-Pak in Kazakhstan
. The new unit, formed primarily of Polish soldiers previously held in Soviet Gulag
s, was commanded by Col. Bronisław Rakowski and received the name of 8th Infantry Division. However, it did not share the traditions of the pre-1939 unit. Following the evacuation of Polish forces to Persia and then to the Middle East
, the division was disbanded and its men were transferred to various other units of the Polish II Corps
.
, the command of the Home Army decided to unite various partisan units into regular divisions that would later form the core of the recreated Polish Army. The new division scheme was based on the pre-war territorial division of the Polish armed forces and the new units not only shared the traditions of their pre-war counterparts, but also a large number of soldiers and officers who were veterans of the pre-war units, who had returned home after the Polish Defensive War. During the Warsaw Uprising
, all of the forces of the Warsaw Corps of the Home Army were reorganized into three divisions. One of them, composed of partisan units fighting in the borough of Żoliborz
and separated forces fighting in Kampinos
Forest, received the name of 8th Romuald Traugutt
Infantry Division. Commanded by Lt. Col. Mieczysław Niedzielski (nom de guerre Żywiciel), the unit was composed of the recreated 13th Infantry Regiment (Kampinos) and the 21st, 22nd and 32nd Regiments (Żoliborz), as well as an improvised 7th Uhlans Regiment. The division took part in heavy fighting until the end of the Uprising.
. The division, as well as its regiments (32nd, 34th and 36th Infantry, and 37th Light Artillery), received the numbers of the pre-war unit, but did not share its traditions. The new unit, formed in accordance with Soviet rules, became operational in early April 1945. On April 15, it was attached to the Polish 2nd Army and the following day it entered combat in the area of the Lausitzer Neisse river during the Battle of Dresden
. After crossing the river, the division - deprived of artillery and air cover - took part in the heavy fighting for Nieder Neudorf and the village of Biehain. On April 17, aided by the badly beaten Polish 16th Armoured Brigade, the division continued its assault on Ober and Mittel Horka defended by the elite Brandenburger Regiment.
After the initial failure, the division managed to break the German resistance in an all-out assault and reached the Weisser Schops River, which it crossed under heavy enemy fire. Then the unit crossed the Neu Graben Canal and captured the towns of Odernitz (36th Regiment) and Niesky
(32nd Regiment). The latter town was captured after two days of heavy struggles. In the following days, the division continued the assault with heavy losses, capturing the towns and villages of See
, Mocholz, Zischelmuhle and Stockteich. After repelling the German counter-attack south of Niessky, on April 20, the division started a pursuit after the fleeing Germans, breaking the resistance at Gebelzig, Gross Saubernitz, Baruth
and Guttau
. On April 25, the division reached the line of Strochschutz-Grossbrosern-Colln
, after which it was stopped and then withdrawn to the rear for reinforcement.
. Nevertheless, the Communist authorities claimed the operation to be a major success and the division received the name of 8th Dresden Infantry Division and the new patron in the person of Bartosz Głowacki, a Polish 18th century peasant hero . Parts of the division (roughly 2,500 men of the 1st, 8th and 36th Regiments) were then attached to the Wisła Operational Group
and took part in the infamous Operation Vistula against the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and the civilian population of the eastern Beskides. The action lasted until July 1947, when the unit was withdrawn and partially demobilized.
On March 30, 1949 the unit was transferred to Western Pomerania and reformed into the Polish 8th Motorized Infantry Division, which became the direct predecessor of the modern 8th Mechanised Division. Both were active within the Pomeranian Military District
.
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of the Polish Army. It was active in the Polish-Bolshevik War, as well as during the Invasion of Poland
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
in 1939. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the division was reformed twice as part of two distinct armed forces: once as part of the Home Army during the Warsaw Uprising
Warsaw Uprising
The Warsaw Uprising was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance Home Army , to liberate Warsaw from Nazi Germany. The rebellion was timed to coincide with the Soviet Union's Red Army approaching the eastern suburbs of the city and the retreat of German forces...
and again as part of the Polish Army in the East.
Polish-Bolshevik War
The division was formed at the end of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as one of the first large infantry units of the renascent Polish state. It took part in the Polish-Bolshevik War. At the end of the war, in September 1920 the division (then composed of four infantry regiments (namely 13th, 21st, 33rd and 36th
Polish 36th Infantry Regiment
The 36th Infantry Regiment of the Academic Legion was a Polish military unit. Initially made up of students from the universities of Warsaw, it fought with distinction in the Polish-Bolshevik War, the Polish Defensive War and in the Warsaw Uprising.The regiment was an all-volunteer force made up...
) had 6210 men under arms and formed the core of the Reserves of the General Staff, along with the Siberian Brigade and 20th Infantry Division. As part of Gen. Latinik's Operational Group
Operational Group
Operational Group was the highest level of tactical division of the Polish Army before and during World War II and the Invasion of Poland. It was corps-sized, although various Operational Groups varied in size....
of Gen. Iwaszkiewicz's Polish 6th Army, the division (then commanded by Col. Stanisław Burhardt-Bukacki) took part in the Battle of Lwów
Battle of Lwów (1920)
During the Polish-Soviet War of 1920 the city of Lwów was attacked by the forces of Alexander Ilyich Yegorov. Since mid-June 1920 the 1st Cavalry Army of Semyon Budyonny was trying to reach the city from the north and east. At the same time Lwów was preparing the defense...
and Polish-Ukrainian operations in Bolshevik-held Ukraine.
After the cease-fire and the Treaty of Riga, the division was partially demobilized and its regiments were stationed in a number of Mazovia
Mazovia
Mazovia or Masovia is a geographical, historical and cultural region in east-central Poland. It is also a voivodeship in Poland.Its historic capital is Płock, which was the medieval residence of first Dukes of Masovia...
n towns, including Modlin, Pułtusk, Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Działdowo and Płock.
Outbreak of World War II
During the Polish mobilization of 1939, prior to the invasion of PolandInvasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
, the division was mobilized and dispatched to the area west of Ciechanów
Ciechanów
Ciechanów is a town in north-central Poland with 45,900 inhabitants . It is situated in Masovian Voivodeship . It was previously the capital of Ciechanów Voivodeship.-History:The grad numbered approximately 3,000 armed men....
, where it was to form a strategic reserve of the Polish Modlin Army
Modlin Army
Modlin Army was one of the Polish armies that took part in the Polish Defensive War of 1939. After heavy casualties in the battle of Mława , the Army was forced to abandon its positions near Warsaw around September 10; eventually it took part in the battle of Tomaszów Mazowiecki and surrendered...
defending the Modlin Fortress
Modlin Fortress
Modlin Fortress is one of the biggest 19th century fortresses in Poland. It is located the town of Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki in district Modlin on the Narew river, some 50 kilometres north of Warsaw...
and the northern approaches to Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
. Commanded by Col. Teodor Wyrwa-Furgalski, the unit was to enter combat should the Germans break through the Polish lines. However, already on September 2, the division was dispatched to the area of Mława, where it was to support the Polish units fighting in the Battle of Mława.
The 8th Division arrived in the area in the early hours of September 3. As the Mazovian Cavalry Brigade operating further eastwards was also endangered by German armoured troops, the army commander ordered the division to split its forces and attack in two directions: towards Grudusk
Grudusk
Grudusk is a village in Ciechanów County, Masovian Voivodeship, in east-central Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Grudusk. It lies approximately north of Ciechanów and north of Warsaw....
east of Mława and towards Przasnysz
Przasnysz
Przasnysz is a town in Poland. Located in the Masovian Voivodship, about 110 km north of Warsaw and about 115 km south of Olsztyn, it's the capital of Przasnysz County. It has 18,093 inhabitants . One of the most important towns in Mazovia during the Middle Ages. City laws - 1427.-Famous...
. However, conflicting orders and German saboteurs
Fifth column
A fifth column is a group of people who clandestinely undermine a larger group such as a nation from within.-Origin:The term originated with a 1936 radio address by Emilio Mola, a Nationalist General during the 1936–39 Spanish Civil War...
operating in the rear disrupted both attacks and led to chaos in the Polish ranks. The situation was further complicated by insufficient reconnaissance, which led to several skirmishes between friendly forces
Friendly fire
Friendly fire is inadvertent firing towards one's own or otherwise friendly forces while attempting to engage enemy forces, particularly where this results in injury or death. A death resulting from a negligent discharge is not considered friendly fire...
. At first, the organic cavalry assaulted the staff company, mistakenly taking it for enemy forces, while later that day the 13th Infantry Regiment assaulted 32nd Infantry Regiment of Lt.Col. Stefan Zając.
In the evening, the division was mostly dispersed and only the 21st Infantry Regiment of Colonel (later General) Stanisław Sosabowski managed to withdraw from the fights towards the Modlin Fortress
Modlin Fortress
Modlin Fortress is one of the biggest 19th century fortresses in Poland. It is located the town of Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki in district Modlin on the Narew river, some 50 kilometres north of Warsaw...
. His forces were later joined by elements of the 13th Regiment rallied by its commander, while the remnants of the division, including the major part of the 32nd Regiment, were rallied by the division's commanding officer west of Opinogóra
Opinogóra
Opinogóra may refer to:* Opinogóra Górna* Opinogóra Dolna* Opinogóra-Kolonia* Gmina Opinogóra Górna...
. The latter group started a retreat towards Modlin, where it suffered significant casualties from enemy aerial bombardment.
Finally, the division arrived at the Modlin Fortress
Modlin Fortress
Modlin Fortress is one of the biggest 19th century fortresses in Poland. It is located the town of Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki in district Modlin on the Narew river, some 50 kilometres north of Warsaw...
, where it received reinforcements and manned the defences of the area. The 32nd Regiment manned the Forts No. 1 and 2, the organic artillery (including the 8th Heavy Artillery Detachment) manned the line east of Kazuń. Overnight of September 7, the 21st Regiment arrived in the area, but was then dispatched further southwards to take part in the battle of Warsaw
Siege of Warsaw (1939)
The 1939 Battle of Warsaw was fought between the Polish Warsaw Army garrisoned and entrenched in the capital of Poland and the German Army...
, while the 13th Regiment under Lt.Col. Alojzy Nowak manned the line along 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 ....
near Gniewniewice, west of Modlin. Despite being badly shaken in the first days of the war, the division was successfully reorganized and defended its positions until the capitulation
Battle of Modlin
The Battle of Modlin took place during the German invasion of Poland at the beginning of the Second World War. Modlin Fortress was initially the headquarters of the Modlin Army until its retreat eastwards. From 13 September to 29 September in 1939 it served as a defensive citadel for Polish forces...
of the Modlin Fortress on September 29.
Polish Army in the East
Following the Sikorski-Mayski AgreementSikorski-Mayski Agreement
The Sikorski–Mayski Agreement was a treaty between the Soviet Union and Poland signed in London on 30 July 1941. Its name was coined after the two most notable signatories: Polish Prime Minister Władysław Sikorski and Soviet Ambassador to the United Kingdom Ivan Mayski.- Details :After signing...
, in February 1942, a Polish division started to be formed in Chok-Pak in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
. The new unit, formed primarily of Polish soldiers previously held in Soviet Gulag
Gulag
The Gulag was the government agency that administered the main Soviet forced labor camp systems. While the camps housed a wide range of convicts, from petty criminals to political prisoners, large numbers were convicted by simplified procedures, such as NKVD troikas and other instruments of...
s, was commanded by Col. Bronisław Rakowski and received the name of 8th Infantry Division. However, it did not share the traditions of the pre-1939 unit. Following the evacuation of Polish forces to Persia and then to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, the division was disbanded and its men were transferred to various other units of the Polish II Corps
Polish II Corps
Polish II Corps , 1943–1947, was a major tactical and operational unit of the Polish Armed Forces in the West during World War II. It was commanded by Lieutenant General Władysław Anders and by the end of 1945 it had grown to well over 100,000 soldiers....
.
Operation Tempest
In 1944, during 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....
, the command of the Home Army decided to unite various partisan units into regular divisions that would later form the core of the recreated Polish Army. The new division scheme was based on the pre-war territorial division of the Polish armed forces and the new units not only shared the traditions of their pre-war counterparts, but also a large number of soldiers and officers who were veterans of the pre-war units, who had returned home after the Polish Defensive War. During the Warsaw Uprising
Warsaw Uprising
The Warsaw Uprising was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance Home Army , to liberate Warsaw from Nazi Germany. The rebellion was timed to coincide with the Soviet Union's Red Army approaching the eastern suburbs of the city and the retreat of German forces...
, all of the forces of the Warsaw Corps of the Home Army were reorganized into three divisions. One of them, composed of partisan units fighting in the borough of Żoliborz
Zoliborz
Żoliborz is one of the northern districts of the city of Warsaw. It is located directly to the north of the City Centre, on the left bank of the Vistula river. It has approximately 50,000 inhabitants and is one of the smallest boroughs of Warsaw....
and separated forces fighting in Kampinos
Kampinos
Kampinos is a village in Warsaw West County, Masovian Voivodeship, in east-central Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Kampinos...
Forest, received the name of 8th Romuald Traugutt
Romuald Traugutt
Romuald Traugutt was a Polish general and war hero, best known for commanding the January Uprising. From October 1863 to August 1864 he was Dictator of Insurrection. He headed the Polish national government from October 17, 1863 to April 20, 1864, and was president of its Foreign Affairs...
Infantry Division. Commanded by Lt. Col. Mieczysław Niedzielski (nom de guerre Żywiciel), the unit was composed of the recreated 13th Infantry Regiment (Kampinos) and the 21st, 22nd and 32nd Regiments (Żoliborz), as well as an improvised 7th Uhlans Regiment. The division took part in heavy fighting until the end of the Uprising.
Eastern Front
After the Soviet take-over of much of Poland in 1944, the Communist authorities started to form the 8th Division of the Polish People's Army in the area of SiedlceSiedlce
Siedlce ) is a city in eastern Poland with 77,392 inhabitants . Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship , previously the city was the capital of a separate Siedlce Voivodeship ....
. The division, as well as its regiments (32nd, 34th and 36th Infantry, and 37th Light Artillery), received the numbers of the pre-war unit, but did not share its traditions. The new unit, formed in accordance with Soviet rules, became operational in early April 1945. On April 15, it was attached to the Polish 2nd Army and the following day it entered combat in the area of the Lausitzer Neisse river during the Battle of Dresden
Battle of Dresden
The Battle of Dresden was fought on 26–27 August 1813 around Dresden, Germany, resulting in a French victory under Napoleon I against forces of the Sixth Coalition of Austrians, Russians and Prussians under Field Marshal Schwartzenberg. However, Napoleon's victory was not as complete as it could...
. After crossing the river, the division - deprived of artillery and air cover - took part in the heavy fighting for Nieder Neudorf and the village of Biehain. On April 17, aided by the badly beaten Polish 16th Armoured Brigade, the division continued its assault on Ober and Mittel Horka defended by the elite Brandenburger Regiment.
After the initial failure, the division managed to break the German resistance in an all-out assault and reached the Weisser Schops River, which it crossed under heavy enemy fire. Then the unit crossed the Neu Graben Canal and captured the towns of Odernitz (36th Regiment) and Niesky
Niesky
Niesky is a small town in Upper Lusatia in eastern the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It has a population of about 11,000 and is part of the district of Görlitz....
(32nd Regiment). The latter town was captured after two days of heavy struggles. In the following days, the division continued the assault with heavy losses, capturing the towns and villages of See
See, Austria
See is a municipality in the district of Landeck in Tyrol, Austria and is located 8 km southwest of the city of Landeck. The village was founded in 1400 by farmers. Nowadays, tourism is the main source of income.-External links:...
, Mocholz, Zischelmuhle and Stockteich. After repelling the German counter-attack south of Niessky, on April 20, the division started a pursuit after the fleeing Germans, breaking the resistance at Gebelzig, Gross Saubernitz, Baruth
Baruth
Baruth is a town in the Teltow-Fläming district of Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated 24 km east of Luckenwalde, and 53 km south of Berlin....
and Guttau
Guttau
Guttau, in Sorbian Hućina, is a municipality in the east of Saxony, Germany. It belongs to the district of Bautzen and lies northeast of the eponymous city.- Geography :...
. On April 25, the division reached the line of Strochschutz-Grossbrosern-Colln
Cölln
In the 13th century Cölln was the sister town of Old Berlin , located on the southern Spree Island in the Margraviate of Brandenburg. Today the island is located in the historic core of the central Mitte locality of modern Berlin...
, after which it was stopped and then withdrawn to the rear for reinforcement.
After the war
The division suffered heavy losses in the poorly planned operation in SaxonySaxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
. Nevertheless, the Communist authorities claimed the operation to be a major success and the division received the name of 8th Dresden Infantry Division and the new patron in the person of Bartosz Głowacki, a Polish 18th century peasant hero . Parts of the division (roughly 2,500 men of the 1st, 8th and 36th Regiments) were then attached to the Wisła Operational Group
Operational Group
Operational Group was the highest level of tactical division of the Polish Army before and during World War II and the Invasion of Poland. It was corps-sized, although various Operational Groups varied in size....
and took part in the infamous Operation Vistula against the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and the civilian population of the eastern Beskides. The action lasted until July 1947, when the unit was withdrawn and partially demobilized.
On March 30, 1949 the unit was transferred to Western Pomerania and reformed into the Polish 8th Motorized Infantry Division, which became the direct predecessor of the modern 8th Mechanised Division. Both were active within the Pomeranian Military District
Pomeranian Military District
The Pomeranian Military District was a military district of the Polish Armed Forces from 1945 to 2011. Formally it was subordinate to the Minister of National Defence in the operational matters of defense and detached government administration...
.
Commanders
- Commanding officer Lt.Col. Teodor Furgalski
- 1st commander of divisional infantry (deputy commander) Col. Ludwik de Laveaux
- 2nd commander of divisional infantry Lt. Col. Mikołaj Jan Ordyczyński, since September 11 Lt. Col. Jan Domasiewicz
- Staff officers: Capt. Wiktor Jachimiuk, Lt. Stanisław Pancerz
- chief chaplain Ferdynand Zygmunt Wawro
- chief lawyer Maj. Władysław Koreywo
- jury of the court martial Lt. Zygmunt Rose, Lt. Juliusz Kohn
Staff
- Chief of Staff Lt. Col. Kazimierz Franciszek Marczewski
- Chief of Operations Capt. Adam Szugajew
- Chief of Information Zbigniew Garwacki
- Quartermaster Capt. Stanisław Jerzy Skierski
- Chief of Engineers Maj. Walerian Klimowicz
- Chief of Signals Capt. Michał Standziak
- Chief Armourer Capt. Stefan Karol Łysakowski
- Chief Intendant Capt. Władysław Śniegocki
- Chief Medic Maj. Henryk Lenk
- Staff Headquarters' Commander Maj. Otto Laskowski
- Commanding officer of signals platoon Lt. Czesław Kotyński
Units
- 13th Infantry Regiment (Jarosław) Lt. Col. Alojzy Nowak
- 21st Infantry Regiment (Przemysław) Col. Stanisław Sosabowski
- 32nd Infantry Regiment (Maurycy) Lt. Col. Stefan Zając
- 8th Regiment of Light Artillery of King Boleslaus the Wrymouth of Poland (Mateusz) Lt. Col. Jan Damasiewicz
- 8th Regiment of Heavy Artillery (Teodor) Maj. Władysław Niewodniczański
- 8th motorized battery of AA artillery Capt. Józef Franciszek Płodowski
- 89th AA artillery battery (attached) Capt. Janusz Stanisław Klimontowicz
- 8th Engineering Battalion (Tomasz) Maj. Walerian Klimowicz
- 8th Telephone Company Capt. Franciszek Leszczyński
- 11th Bicycle Signals Company Lt. Michał Ptasiński
- organic cavalry Maj. Jarosław Ciechanowski
- 11th independent taczanka HMG company Lt. Kazimierz Bruździński