Polish I Corps in the West
Encyclopedia
The Polish I Corps was a tactical unit of the Polish Armed Forces in the West
during World War II
.
on 28 September 1940. It was subordinate to the Scottish Command
, and the Corps HQ was located in Edinburgh
(Moncreiffe House). It numbered 3498 officers and 10,884 soldiers.
shore between Firth of Forth
and Montrose
against a possible German invasion of Britain, it became the logistical core of the Polish Army fighting alongside the Allies.
For most of its' existence the core of the corps was composed of a variety of en cadre
units. Once these have been formed into full tactical units, they were dispatched to the fronts of World War II separately, as part of other Allied tactical units. Among the units created out of First Corps' nominal infantry brigades were 1st Armoured Division, 1st Independent Parachute Brigade, 1t Reconnaissance Regiment and a variety of other detachments.
It was not until after the capitulation of Germany that the corps started to act as a single unit. Its' two largest components were joined together in Northern Germany and took part in occupation of Germany as part of the Allied forces stationed around the port of Wilhelmshaven
. Prior to that date both of its main units fought separately and were grouped together mostly for logistical reasons.
Like most other units of the Polish Armed Forces in the West
, it was disbanded in 1947, with personnel transferred to the Polish Resettlement Corps
.
(1940-1942), Józef Zając
(1943), Mieczysław Boruta-Spiechowicz (1943-1945) and Stanisław Maczek (1945-1947).
Rifle Brigades (3, 4, 5, 7 and 8, usually battalion
-sized), as well as service units. By late 1940 the Corps had over 14,000 men at arms. The 2nd Rifle Regiment would be reformed into the 10th Armored Brigade on 3 October 1940 which soon in 1942 gave rise to the 1st Armoured Division, and the 4th into the 1st Independent Parachute Brigade on 9 October 1941. The 3, 5 and 7 brigades formed the Training Brigade on 6 December 1941.
During combat operations on the continent, the 1st Armoured Division and the 1st Parachute Brigade were assigned to other Allied commands. The parachute brigade was attached to the First Allied Airborne Army
while the armoured division was under the command of the First Canadian Army
.
At the end of the war it comprised the 1st Armoured Division, the 1st Independent Parachute Brigade , the 4th Infantry Division
, and the 16th Independent Armoured Brigade
.
The 16th Armoured Brigade was formed on 1 September 1941 from the 1st Tank Regiment (1 Pułk Czołgów), which was created as a part of the corps in October 1940. On 25 Febeuary 1942 the Brigade was assigned to the 1st Armoured Division. In the short period of September to October 1943, the Brigade was merged with the 10th Armoured Brigade to form the 10/16th Armored Brigade. In November 1943 the Brigade was recreated as the 16th (cadre) Independent Armoured Brigade. This unit was not committed to combat on the continent. Until February 1945, it was assigned to the 2nd (cadre) Armoured Grenadier Division.
Polish Armed Forces in the West
Polish Armed Forces in the West refers to the Polish military formations formed to fight alongside the Western Allies against Nazi Germany and its allies...
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...
.
Formation
It was formed in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on 28 September 1940. It was subordinate to the Scottish Command
Scottish Command
-History:The Command was established in 1905 at Edinburgh Castle but moved to Craigiehall in the early 1950s.Since 1936 the General Officer Commanding Scottish Command has also always been appointed Governor of Edinburgh Castle....
, and the Corps HQ was located in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
(Moncreiffe House). It numbered 3498 officers and 10,884 soldiers.
Operations
Initially formed to protect a 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) stretch of ScottishScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
shore between Firth of Forth
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south...
and Montrose
Montrose, Angus
Montrose is a coastal resort town and former royal burgh in Angus, Scotland. It is situated 38 miles north of Dundee between the mouths of the North and South Esk rivers...
against a possible German invasion of Britain, it became the logistical core of the Polish Army fighting alongside the Allies.
For most of its' existence the core of the corps was composed of a variety of en cadre
En cadre
En cadre or cadre is a French expression originally denoting either the complement of commissioned officers of a regiment or the permanent skeleton establishment of a unit, around which the unit could be built if needed...
units. Once these have been formed into full tactical units, they were dispatched to the fronts of World War II separately, as part of other Allied tactical units. Among the units created out of First Corps' nominal infantry brigades were 1st Armoured Division, 1st Independent Parachute Brigade, 1t Reconnaissance Regiment and a variety of other detachments.
It was not until after the capitulation of Germany that the corps started to act as a single unit. Its' two largest components were joined together in Northern Germany and took part in occupation of Germany as part of the Allied forces stationed around the port of Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:...
. Prior to that date both of its main units fought separately and were grouped together mostly for logistical reasons.
Like most other units of the Polish Armed Forces in the West
Polish Armed Forces in the West
Polish Armed Forces in the West refers to the Polish military formations formed to fight alongside the Western Allies against Nazi Germany and its allies...
, it was disbanded in 1947, with personnel transferred to the Polish Resettlement Corps
Polish Resettlement Corps
The Polish Resettlement Corps was an organisation formed by the British Government in 1946 as a holding unit for members of the Polish Armed Forces who had been serving with the British Armed Forces and did not wish to return to a Communist Poland after the end of the Second World War...
.
Commanders
It was commanded by generals Marian KukielMarian Kukiel
Marian Włodzimierz Kukiel pseudonym: Marek Kąkol, Stach Zawierucha was a Polish general, historian, social and political activist....
(1940-1942), Józef Zając
Józef Zajac
Józef Ludwik Zając was a Polish general and pilot.-Biography:Born on 14 March 1891 in Rzeszów, Józef Zając studied at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, graduating with a PhD in philosophy in 1915...
(1943), Mieczysław Boruta-Spiechowicz (1943-1945) and Stanisław Maczek (1945-1947).
Subordinate units
Initially the Corps included the HQ, two Rifle Brigades (numbered 1 and 2), five en cadreEn cadre
En cadre or cadre is a French expression originally denoting either the complement of commissioned officers of a regiment or the permanent skeleton establishment of a unit, around which the unit could be built if needed...
Rifle Brigades (3, 4, 5, 7 and 8, usually battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
-sized), as well as service units. By late 1940 the Corps had over 14,000 men at arms. The 2nd Rifle Regiment would be reformed into the 10th Armored Brigade on 3 October 1940 which soon in 1942 gave rise to the 1st Armoured Division, and the 4th into the 1st Independent Parachute Brigade on 9 October 1941. The 3, 5 and 7 brigades formed the Training Brigade on 6 December 1941.
During combat operations on the continent, the 1st Armoured Division and the 1st Parachute Brigade were assigned to other Allied commands. The parachute brigade was attached to the First Allied Airborne Army
First Allied Airborne Army
The First Allied Airborne Army was an Allied formation formed on 2 August 1944 by the order of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force. The formation was part of the Allied Expeditionary Force and controlled all Allied airborne forces in Western...
while the armoured division was under the command of the First Canadian Army
First Canadian Army
The First Canadian Army was the senior Canadian operational formation in Europe during the Second World War.The Army was formed in early 1942, replacing the existing unnumbered Canadian Corps, as the growing number of Canadian forces in the United Kingdom necessitated an expansion to two corps...
.
At the end of the war it comprised the 1st Armoured Division, the 1st Independent Parachute Brigade , the 4th Infantry Division
4th Infantry Division (Poland)
The Polish 4th Infantry Division was created following Polish independence after the end of World War I. The division participated in the Polish-Ukrainian War in 1919...
, and the 16th Independent Armoured Brigade
16th Independent Armoured Brigade
16th Armoured Brigade was a unit of the Polish Armed Forces in the West....
.
The 16th Armoured Brigade was formed on 1 September 1941 from the 1st Tank Regiment (1 Pułk Czołgów), which was created as a part of the corps in October 1940. On 25 Febeuary 1942 the Brigade was assigned to the 1st Armoured Division. In the short period of September to October 1943, the Brigade was merged with the 10th Armoured Brigade to form the 10/16th Armored Brigade. In November 1943 the Brigade was recreated as the 16th (cadre) Independent Armoured Brigade. This unit was not committed to combat on the continent. Until February 1945, it was assigned to the 2nd (cadre) Armoured Grenadier Division.