Battle of Sieraków-Laski, battles between Modlin

Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic

Another thread from the "Polish campaign 1939 threads" series.

Article from the side of 7. horse rifle regiment (pułk strzelców
konnych) from Wielkopolska Brygada Kawalerii (Greater Poland Cavalry
Brigade) - the article is based on some fragments from the book
titled "7 Pułk Strzelców Konnych Wielkopolskich" (total 48 pages),
which was written by Juliusz S. Tym and was published in 1999.

http://www.7psk.com.pl/historia.php

There are four chapters about involvement of the regiment in the Polish Campaign (or rather - Defensive War of Poland - because it was the Polish unit):

"ATTACHED TO 14. INFANTRY DIVISION" (1. - 8. IX 1939):

[...]

"BATTLES AT THE CENTRAL BZURA" (9. - 12. IX 1939):

[...]

"BATTLE FOR BROCHÓW" (13. - 15. IX 1939):

[...] 

"THROUGH THE KAMPINOSKA FOREST TO WARSAW" (15. - 30. IX 1939):

[...]

Commander of the Cavalry Group – general Abraham – wanted to use his
forces to attack towards Sieraków, in order to – after ending in
success – extend it towards Laski and Wawrzyszew.

At 00:00 on 19th of September 17. uhlans regiment – designated as
frontal guard – marched via forest road. 7. horse rifle regiment was
marching behind it. “Seventeen” after entering Sieraków in mounted
formation, received German machinegun fire. In this situation, 7. horse
rifle regiment received task to support the attack, and developed its
ranks in the left wing. Both Greater Poland’s regiments – acting
together with 9. uhlans regiment from Lesser Poland which was fighting
in the right wing, captured Sieraków until the daybreak on 19th of
September, capturing 34 trucks, which were later immobilized by horse
riflemen, who crushed steering wheels, dashboards and pierced tyres.

When the day started, the regiment marched to the forest west of
Sieraków with task of insuring the right wing of GOKaw. [Cavalry
Operational Group of gen. Abraham] from the side of locality Truskaw.
Soon after that captured by Polish cavalry Sieraków – and nearby
forests – were heavily bombed by German artillery, and from direction
of Truskaw several dozen of German tanks supported by infantry
attacked. The German attack was repulsed thanks to brave attitude of
gunners of 7. horse artillery dyon, and crews of regimental AT guns,
HMGs and AT rifles. In this combat the regiment – together with 7.
horse artillery dyon – destroyed 20 enemy tanks, but 14 soldiers were
KIA and 42 were WIA.

After 10:00 7. horse rifle regiment received order to march to the
forest behind the hill 88, north of Sieraków, as reserve of GOKaw.
during the planned attack on Laski – with also the task of securing the
other regiments from the north. Soon – around midday – while securing
the area, 4 squadron fought a skirmish with the German unit in strength
of 2 heavy-duty cars.

Around 13:00 the regiment received order to take part in the attack on
Laski. It was strengthened by two attached units – 3. battery of 7.
horse artillery regiment and rests of 3. squadron of 6. uhlan regiment.
Two-groups formation was formed. In the first group – 1. and 2.
squadrons, in the second group – 3. and 4. squadrons – were advancing
in platoon lines through the forests on both sides of the road Sieraków
– Laski. 3. battery was advancing along the road with guns and its
crews marching in distance of 50 metres one from another, between guns
being protected by squadron of cyclists and communication platoon. The
regiment secured itself from the front by the patrol from the body of
regimental commander, commanded by podporucznik Jerzy Lutostański, and
from the direction of Izabelin by 3 squadron of 6. uhlans regiment
under command of rotmistrz Stanisław Heller.

One kilometre behind Sieraków, regiment dismounted itself, hiding
horses in the forest north of the road which was the main axis of the
attack. In the moment when – attacking in the left wing – 1 squadron –
was situated in the region of high 99, and combat patrol of the
right-wing 2. squadron sneaked into the distance of 300 metres from the
first buildings in Laski, the enemy opened fire at the same time from
guns and machine guns. At the same time tanks departed from the
location Laski, and at the same time tanks appeared along the roads and
forest roads from the direction of Wólka Węglowa and Izabelin – and by
direct fire started to strike horse riflemen. 1. and 2. squadrons
prepared their AT guns and undertook efficient combat with the tanks,
but suffered high casualties. Among killed was the commander of 2.
squadron – rotmistrz Stanisław Jankowski, and regimental information
officer – podporucznik Jerzy Lutostański. Guns of 7. horse artillery
regiment were prepared to fight, occupied positions on the road and
opened fire on Laski. German artillery fire moved towards Sieraków and
reached the region where, after dismounting the regiment, horses and
reserves squadrons were left. Soon the German infantry moved towards
horse riflemen, who were lieing between the trees – but - teached
respect to the Polish bayonets in the previous combats – it didn’t
attack and only occupied convenient fireing positions.

Between 15:00 and 16:00 the Poles managed to control the situation.
Riflemen digged in, guns occupied more convenient and better hidden
fireing positions. The German infantry was lieing in the forest
opposite to the Polish positions. Mutual fire – in which the German
side had got considerable superiority – was going on. In the region
which was occupied by the regiment, soon elements of 9. and 17. uhlans
regiments appeared, which also did not manage to capture Laski. In this
situation general Abraham decided to stop the attack on Laski and with
all forces of GOKaw. attack in the central part of the frontline in the
general direction towards Wólka Węglowa. During withdrawal of 7. horse
rifle regiment, commander of the regiment – who was together with the
2. squadron - rotmisrz Z. Szacherski, was heavily wounded. Evacuated
from the battlefield, he then advanced behind the regiment towards
Warsaw by requisite peasant’s cart.

The oldest by rank and age officer took comand over the regiment – it
was commander of 1 squadron – rotmistrz Konstanty Kozłowski, who was
also wounded in combats for Laski, fortunately very lightly. 

The regiment suffered heavy casualties during the combats for Laski –
27 soldiers were killed (including 2 officers), and 70 were wounded
(including 7 officers) – bullets did not avoid also the chaplain of the
regiment – priest Marcin Kosicki. Also casualties among horses were
here disproportionately high if comparing with the previous combats of
the regiment. In the battle in the region of Laski horse riflemen
inflicted numerous casualties to the enemy – which reached around 100
killed in action. Also further 12 enemy tanks were destroyed. Also 2
grenade launchers, 11 machine guns and 2 trucks were captured.

During the night from 19th to 20th of September the regiment – marching
(dismounted) in the rear guard of GOKaw. – advanced between Wólka
Węglowa and Dąbrowa, fighting a small skirmish near Młociny, and in the
afternoon on 20th of September reached Bielany district in Warsaw. The
regiment did not leave its wounded, horses and equipment and brought to
Warsaw even one AT gun more, than it had got on 1st of September, when
the war started.

[...]

During the whole campaign the regiment suffered the following
casualties: 174 dead [killed + missing] soldiers (15 officers, 43 NCOs,
116 horse riflemen), 274 soldiers were wounded (21 officers, 68 NCOs,
185 horse riflemen) - all together 448 soldiers which is 47% of the
initial strength; the regiment lost also 485 horses (54% of the initial
strength).

During the campaign the regiment inflicted the following casualties to
the enemy - men casualties inflicted reached around 450 killed, the
regiment captured 35 prisoners of war, destroyed 51 tanks, captured and
destroyed 3 guns, around 60 machine guns and machine pistols and 43
cars.

========================================================

And now what I have found on ww2 day by day (by Christoph Avender) about the battle of Sieraków and Laski:

Quotation from the fragment above:

[...] When the day started [19th of September], the regiment marched to
the forest west of Sieraków with task of insuring the right wing of
GOKaw. [Cavalry Operational Group of gen. Abraham] from the side of
locality Truskaw. Soon after that captured by Polish cavalry Sieraków –
and nearby forests – were heavily bombed by German artillery, and from
direction of Truskaw several dozen of German tanks supported by
infantry attacked. The German attack was repulsed thanks to brave
attitude of gunners of 7. horse artillery dyon, and crews of regimental
AT guns, HMGs and AT rifles. In this combat the regiment – together
with 7. horse artillery dyon – destroyed 20 enemy tanks, but 14
soldiers were KIA and 42 were WIA. [...]

On ww2 day by day I have found, that on 19th of September
Panzer-Abteilung 65. attacked from the area between Izabelin and
Truskow [this is how the Germans named the location called properly
Truskaw] towards Sieraków - they suffered a defeat and lost 26 men of
tank crews KIA / MIA / WIA (including 4 officers, 5 NCOs and 17
soldiers). The exact armour casualties were not reported by the Germans
- but were very high - Panzer-Abteilung 65. lost the majority of its
tanks. Those tanks, which were not lost, withdrew towards the region
Hornówek - Lipków.

On that day - 19th of September - II. battalion of KSR.4 was totally
crushed, among other units - the remaining rests of II./KSR.4 formed a
hedgehog defence on the road from Truskow to Izabelin.

About those combats on ww2 day by day there is also written (some fragments):

"Elements of the division [1. Leichte Division] from Łomna were
withdrawn towards the line Burakow - Wolka Weglowa to prepare the
counterattack against the enemy forces attacking towards Laski."

"Until the evening the division - however - manages - for the price
of huge casualties - to hold the road Sieraków - Laski, location Laski,
location Burakow Mały and Wolka Weglowa. But the road Modlin - Warsaw
is opened for the enemy forces since the midday on 19th of September
until the morning on 20th of September."

If it comes to armoured units on the German side in combats in this
region - among other units - I. battalion of Panzer-Regiment 11. and
Panzer-Abteilung 65. took part.

The initial strength (on 1st of September) of Panzer-Abteilung 65. was 73 tanks:

Pz.II - 20

Pz.35t - 37

Pz.IV -14

Pz.Bef.35t - 2

The initial strength (on 1st of September) of Panzer-Regiment 11. was 153 tanks (~76,5 per battalion):

Pz.II - 45

Pz.35t - 75

Pz.IV - 27

Pz.Bef.35t - 6

The battle in the region of Sieraków and Laski was extremely bloody for
the 1. Leichte-Division (units of which - among units of other
divisions - e.g. 29. Motorized and 31. Infantry - took part in it) and
was also the last battle of 1. Leichte-Division in the Polish campaign
- after the battle in the region of Sieraków - Laski the division was
withdrawn from the front to the region of Grójec in the morning on 21st
of September, because of very high casualties, especcialy in equipment
and war material - and also because of huge exhaustion of soldiers.

Men casualties of 1. Leichte-Division (not including casualties of
attached units, supporting units and reinforcements received during the
night from 19th to 20th of September) in the battle between Modlin and
Warsaw were - according to German sources (Christoph Avender's site) -
over 600 soldiers.

=====================================================

Two days after the first battle of Sieraków and Laski had been won by
the Poles (the Polish forces succesfully opened their way to Warsaw) -
on 22nd of September - another - this time much, much more smaller -
Polish group tried to break through to Warsaw in the same, small area.

It was group of dismounted cavalry under command of Zygmunt Ważyński.

It was trying to break through to Warsaw via locality Buraków in the
late afternoon on 22nd of September. Suddenly - while marching - it
encountered big German unit with big amount of machine guns. Suddenly
several hidden German machine guns opened fire - it was an unexpected
ambush.

After short, desperate combat, small Polish unit was almost completely
annihilated by extreme barrage of machinegun, rifle and hand grenade
fire - the Germans did not forget to take some photos of this small,
defenceless group - to show the world how great their victory was:

====================================================

Another interesting event which took place in the same region soon before the battle of Sieraków-Laski - on 18th of September.

On that day small Polish armoured recon patrol (3 tankettes from 71.
armoured dyon from Wielkopolska Cavalry Brigade - including 2 TK
tankettes with HMGs and 1 TKS tankette with 20mm automatic gun) met in
combat with one platoon of Panzerkampfwagen 35(t) tanks from
Panzer-Regiment 11. (1. Leichte-Division) - 3 German tanks.

The Polish patrol was commanded by podchorąży Roman Orlik (who was inside TKS with 20mm automatic gun together with kapral Roman Nawrocki).

The German platoon (after 18 days of the campaign it still had got 3
tanks out of the initial - most probably - 6) was commanded by prince
of Ratibor / Racibórz (in Silesia) - Leutnant Wiktor IV Albrecht von Ratibor (23 years old).

As the result of the combat which took place - the Polish TKS tankette
with 20mm automatic gun destroyed the whole enemy platoon (3
Czechoslovakian production, excellent Pz-35(t) tanks). The Polish
patrol with 3 tankettes did not suffer any casualties.

As the result of that combat, prince Wiktor IV Albrecht von Ratibor was
heavily burned and wounded - his dead body was found 7 days later
(after the end of the battle of Kampinoska Forest) - it was identified
only thanks to his hunter legitimation.

This event took place during combats which were fought in the region
near the village called Pociecha (also 7. horse rifle regiment and 15.
uhlan regiment were fighting in that region on 18th of September).

Edited by Domen - 03-Dec-2008 at 19:47