The Liberation March ETO (id:#62123)

(Major Upham Battle Pack ID: #7)   [next]   [previous]

Szack, Poland 1939-09-28 (5 others)

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Overview:

When the Red Army invaded Poland on September 17, there were barely any Polish forces to oppose them. The garrisons of the Polish Border Defence Corps (KOP) were overstretched and after initial clashes and skirmishes for the border forts, the Polish units had to fall back. The deputy commander of the KOP, general Wilhelm Orlik-Rueckemann decided to unite as many troops under his command as possible and join with the rest of Polish forces in the west. He ordered all the KOP forces in Polesie area to withdraw. In several days he managed to gather approximately 9,000 men under his command. The group found itself in a no-man's-land between the Soviet forces and the Wehrmacht and could operate freely. However, the morale of the troops was low and on September 27 general Orlik-Rueckemann decided to engage the Soviet forces in order to achieve a victory and raise the morale.. . .Polish reconnaissance reported that the town of Szack was occupied by Soviet infantry and tanks. Orlik-Rueckemann ordered both columns to form a defensive line along the border of the forest and provoked the Red Army to attack. At 8 o'clock in the morning the Soviet tank unit (composed mostly of the T-26 tanks) started a direct assault on Polish positions. The Polish forces did not open fire until the tanks came close. When the tanks were only some 500 metres from the Polish lines the Polish Bofors wz. 36 anti-tank guns opened fire. Soon they were joined by the infantry and the 75mm artillery. . .

Defender: Russian (52nd Rifle Division, 411th Independent Tank Bn)  

Errata (source)