Struktura - Polish Forces in the West (1945)

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Polish Forces in the West 1945

After the fall of France in 1940, many Polish personnel had died in the fighting or been interned in Switzerland. Nevertheless, General Władyslaw Sikorski,
Polish commaander-in-chief and prime minister, was able to evacuate many Polish troops to the UK. In 1941, pursuant to an agreement between the Polish government in exile and Joseph Stalin, the Soviets released many Polish citizens from their concentration camps, from whom a 75,000-strong army was formed in the Middle East under General Władysław Anders.
The Polish armed forces in the west numbered 195,000 in March 1944 and 165,000 at the end of that year, including about 20,000 personnel in the Polish Air Force and 3,000 in the Polish Navy. At the end of WWII, the Polish Armed Forces in the west numbered 195,000 and by July 1945 had increased to 228,000, most of the newcomers being released prisoners of war and ex-labor-camp inmates.
There were follwing Polish Land Forces formations organization followed Brittish pattern.

1 Polish Cops in the UK
1 Polish Armoured Division – in Germany
4 Grenadier Infantry Division
16 Tank Brigade
1Polish Airborne Brigade (parachute) – fought in operation Market Garden in Holland in 1944.

1th Polish Armoured division.
Formed on 26 Feb 1942 in the United Kingdom from Polish troops that had escaped from France in 1940.
1942- UK: formed with 16 Tank Bde and 10 Armd Cavalary Bde.
1943 – UK: raorganised with 10th Armd Ca Bde and 3rd Rifle Bde in Oct.
1944- Europe, landed in Normandy on 30 Jul and fought through the Normandy campaign to the Falaise pocket (as part of 1th Canadian Army)
Belgium, Holland and Germany
1945 – Germany: Kusten Canal, reached and captured Wilhelshaven port at the end of war.

Organization fo Polish 1st Armoured Division

10th Polish Armd Cavalary Brigade (3 x tank regiments , 1 motor battalion):
1 armoured regiment
2 armoured regiment
24 Lancers regiment (tank regiment)
10 Dragoon regiment (motor battalion)

3 Rifle Brigade (3 inf battalions, 1 support squadron):
1 Highland infantry battalion (batalion strzelcow podhalanskich)
8 infantry battalion
9 infantry battalion
1 support company

Divisional Artillery:
1th motorized artillery regiment
2nd motorized artillery regiment
1 anti tank regiment
1 light aa regiment

Divisional troops:
10th Mounted Rifle regiment (pulk strzelcow konnych) – armd recce regiment
1 divisional signal battalion
1 armoured divisional engineer battalion
1 tank replacement squadron
Logistics and othe troops







2nd Polish Corps
Formed in Palestine in 1942 from Polish troops evacuated from Sovjetunion in 1942.
1944- Italy: landed in Taranto Bari and Neapels
1944-1945- Italy: Monte Cassino, Loretto, Ghotic Line, caputred the city of Bologna in April 1945.


Organization of 2nd Polish Corps

12 Podolski Lancers (pulk ulanow podolskich) – reconaissance armoured car regiment
7 Armour regiment (pulk pancerny)
7 Anti tank regiment
7 Light anti-aircraft regiment (pulk artylerii przeciwlotniczej)
8 Heavy anti-aircraft regiment (pulk artylerii przeciwlotniczej ciezkiej)
1 Survey regiment
663 air reconaisencre squadron (Air observation post squadron)

2nd Artillery Group:
9,10,11,12 and 13 heavy artillery regiments (pulk artylerii ciezkiej)

10 and 20 engenieer battalions, 11 Railway Engenieer battalion

11 Signal battalion

Medical corps, ordnance corps, geographic corps, legal corps, pay corps and other service units

2nd “Warszawska” Polish Armoured Division (2 Warszawska Dywizja Pancerna)

2nd Armoured Brigade (3 x tank regiment and 1x motor battalion):
5 tank regiment “Skorpion”
1 Krechowiecki Lancers (pulk ulanow krechowieckich) - tank regiment
6 tank regiment “Dzieci Lwowskich”
2 commando battalion (2 batalion komandosow zmotoryzowanych) - motor battalion

16 Pomorska Infantry Brigade (pomorska brygada piechoty) with
3 infantry battalions (64,65 and 66) and 1 support company (mortars).

Divisional Artillery:
7 Horse artillery regiment (pulk artylerii konnej)- sp howitzers
16 Pomorski artillery regiment
2nd Anti-tank regiment
2nd light anti-aircraft regiment

Divisional troops:
Karpathian Lancers (pulk ulanow karpackich) - armd recce regiment
2 engineer battalion
2 signal battalion
9 tank replacement squadron


3rd Carpatian Rifle Division (dywizja strzelcow karpackich)
3 infantry Bgdes:
1 BSK (brygada strzelcow karpackich) with 1,2 and 3 inf battalions
2BSK with 4,5 and 6 inf battalions
3BSK with 7,8 and 9 inf battalions

Divisional Artillery:
1,2 and 3 light artillery regiments
3 light anti-aircraft regiment
3 anti-tank regiment

Divisional troops:
7 Lubelski Lancers ( pulk ulanow lubelskich) - armoured car recce regiment
3 engineer battalion
3 signal battalion
3 HMG battalion

5th Kresowa Infantry Division (kresowa dywizja piechoty)
3 infantry brigades:
4 Wolynska Inf Bde (wolynska brygada piechoty) with 10,11 and 12 inf battalions
5 Wilenska Inf Bde (wilenska brygada piechoty) with 13,14 and 15 inf battalions
6 Lwow Rifle Bde (lwowska brygada strzelcow) with 16, 17 and 18 inf battalions

Divisional Artillery:
4,5 and 6 light artillery regiments
5 light aa regiment
5 antitank regiment

Divisional troops:
25 Wielkopolski Lancers ( pulk ulanow wielkopolskich) - armoured car recce regiment
5 engineer battalion
5 signal battalion
5 HMG battalion


14th Wielkoposka Armoured Brigade
3 tank regiments:
15 Poznan Lancers (pulk ulanow poznanskich)
3 Slaski Lancers (pulk ulanow slaskich)
10 Hussars regiment (pulk huzarow)
14 tank replacement squadron
14 engineer company
14 signal company

2 Corps Base

The infantry of 2nd Corps base consisted of headquaters and four infantry battalions(A, B, C and D), the usual services including four general hospitals and miscellaneous units.
The estabishment of the 7th infantry Division with served as the Corps reserve and as the Army Training Centre are detailed bellow:
7 Infantry Division
17 Inf Bde with 21,22 and 23 inf battalions and MG company
17 light artillery regiment
17 engineer company
17 signal company
army training centre, special courses and schools


Organization of Units:

Armoured and Armoured reconnaissance Regiments and tank battalions:
Except in some minor details all were organized alike and capable of preforming same role
Headquarters – 4 cruiser tanks
Headquarter squadron: 4 troops: anti –aircraft (4 tanks fitted with 20mm guns), recce (11 light tanks), intercommunication (8 scout cars) and administrative.
3 tank squadrons: each a headquaters of 4, and 5 plts x 3 tanks each, total 19 tanks.
Some tank squadrons had 4 plts x 4 tanks each (when fitted with Shermans with 76mm gun) and one headquarter of 4 tanks.
Total tanks (Sherman or Cromwells): 61, light tanks: 11(Stuarts).
Strengh: 36 Officers and 630 Other ranks.

Armoured Car regiments (Corps level):
Headquarters: 3 armoured cars
4 x armd car squadrons: each a headquarters with 4 armd cars, 5 troops x 2 armd cars and 2 scout cars each, a heavy troop with 2 armd cars and a support troop of rifelmen in amoured Half-Track carriers.
Total armd cars: 67, total scout cars: 67
Streng: 55 Officers and 680 Other ranks

Reconaissance Regiments ( in the Infanty Division only):
Headquaters: 1 armd car
Headquarter squadron:antitank battery (eight 6pdr-guns), mortar troop (six 3-in mortars), signals and administrative troops.
3 x reccon squadrons: each with headquarters, 3 troops with scout troops with armd cars, light recce cars and Bren carriers and one assault troop of rifelmanin armd half-track carriers
Total armd vechicles: armd cars: 28, light recce cars: 24, Bren carriers: 63.
Strength: 41 Officers and 755 Other ranks.

Infantry/rifle battalions:
1 x Support company: 4 plts: mortar (six 3-in mortars), carrier (13 Bren carriers), anti-tank (six 6-pdr guns) and assault pioneer.
4 x rifle companies: each 3 plts of 3 sections. The section contined 10 menwith one light machine gun (mg), the plt 1 officer and 36 men, with one 2-in mortars. The company with 5 officers and 122 men with 3 PIAT anti-tank systems at company headquarters.
Battalion transport included 38 carriers of all kinds and 55 cars, trucks and lorries.
Strenght: 35 Officers and 786 Other ranks.

Motor Battalions:
1 x support company: 5 plts: 3 anti-tank plts ( total 12 pcs 6-pdr guns)and 2x plts medium machine guns (8 mg).
3 x motor companies: each 3 plts of riflemen in half-tracks and 1 plt in Bren carriers.
One motor company had 11 half tracks and 13 Bren carriers
Strenght: 37 Officers and 782 Other ranks.

Machine-Gun battalions:
1x heavy mortar company: 4 plts x 4 mortars, total 16 pcs of 4.2-in mortars
3 x machine gun companies: each 3 plts of with total of 12 medium machine guns.
Strenght: 35 Officers and 662 Other ranks

Artillery Field Regiments:
3 x batteries: each of 2 troops with four 25-pdr guns, total 24 guns per regiment.
Tractor- towed or self-propelled. Amunition carried in first line: HE 144, smoke 16, armour-piercing 12 rounds per gun.

Artillery Medium Regiments:
2 x batteries: each x 2 troops of four5.5-in guns, total 16 guns per regiment, tractor-towed.
Ammunition carried in first line: HE 100, round per gun.

Arillery Heavy Regiments:
2 x batteries of four 7.2-in howitzers or four 155 US guns (Long Tom), total 16 howitzers and guns per regiment.

Light anti-aircraft regiments:
3 x batteries: each x 3 troops with 6 guns (40 mm Bofors), total 54 guns per regiment.

Heavy Anti-aircraft regiments:
3 x batteries: each x 2 troops with 4 guns (3.7-in guns), total 24 guns per regiment.

Anti-tank regiments:
4 x batteries: each battery of one troop with 6-pdr guns and 2 troops with 17pdr guns,
Total, 12 pcs of 6-pdrs and 36 pcs of 17-pdr guns per regiment.


Survey regiments:
2 x batteries: each one observation, one sound-ranging and one survey troop.

Air Observation Post squadrons:
The squadrons were provided on the scale one per corps plus one spare per army.
They contained 3 flights, each of 4 aircraft. Total 12 aircrafts per squadron.


Parachute battalions:
1 x headquarter company: 5 plts which included two mortar (each four 3-in mortars) and one anti-tank (10 PIAT).
3 x rifle companies: each 3 plts.
Stremgth: 29 Officers and 584 Other ranks

Engineer Units:
Field companies (or squadrons) on the establishment of divisions had 3 identical platoons (or troops) and a strength of 7 officers and 250 other ranks.
The field park company (or squadron) contained one workshop and one stores platoon (or troop), its task being to act as a base for the field companies and hold the specialistand bukly equipment such as dozers. The divisional bridging platoon , now separated from the field park company, carried the materials for 80 feet of Bailey bridging capable of taking loads of 40 tons.

Signal Units:
Divisional signals contained 3 or 4 companies (or squadrons) depending on the type of division, the total strength approx 28 Officers and 700 Other ranks. One company(or squadron) provided the communications for divisional hedaquarters, a second supplied sections to the divisional artillery units and a third to the headquarters of infantry brigades,
the reconaissance regiment the machine gunners and the engineers. Additionally, in the armoured division, a fourth squadronpreformed the same function for the armored brigade and its units.















Polish Forces in the West 1945

After the fall of France in 1940, many Polish personnel had died in the fighting or been interned in Switzerland. Nevertheless, General Władyslaw Sikorski,
Polish commaander-in-chief and prime minister, was able to evacuate many Polish troops to the UK. In 1941, pursuant to an agreement between the Polish government in exile and Joseph Stalin, the Soviets released many Polish citizens from their concentration camps, from whom a 75,000-strong army was formed in the Middle East under General Władysław Anders.
The Polish armed forces in the west numbered 195,000 in March 1944 and 165,000 at the end of that year, including about 20,000 personnel in the Polish Air Force and 3,000 in the Polish Navy. At the end of WWII, the Polish Armed Forces in the west numbered 195,000 and by July 1945 had increased to 228,000, most of the newcomers being released prisoners of war and ex-labor-camp inmates.
There were follwing Polish Land Forces formations organization followed Brittish pattern.

1 Polish Cops in the UK
1 Polish Armoured Division – in Germany
4 Grenadier Infantry Division
16 Tank Brigade
1Polish Airborne Brigade (parachute) – fought in operation Market Garden in Holland in 1944.

1th Polish Armoured division.
Formed on 26 Feb 1942 in the United Kingdom from Polish troops that had escaped from France in 1940.
1942- UK: formed with 16 Tank Bde and 10 Armd Cavalary Bde.
1943 – UK: raorganised with 10th Armd Ca Bde and 3rd Rifle Bde in Oct.
1944- Europe, landed in Normandy on 30 Jul and fought through the Normandy campaign to the Falaise pocket (as part of 1th Canadian Army)
Belgium, Holland and Germany
1945 – Germany: Kusten Canal, reached and captured Wilhelshaven port at the end of war.

Organization fo Polish 1st Armoured Division

10th Polish Armd Cavalary Brigade (3 x tank regiments , 1 motor battalion):
1 armoured regiment
2 armoured regiment
24 Lancers regiment (tank regiment)
10 Dragoon regiment (motor battalion)

3 Rifle Brigade (3 inf battalions, 1 support squadron):
1 Highland infantry battalion (batalion strzelcow podhalanskich)
8 infantry battalion
9 infantry battalion
1 support company

Divisional Artillery:
1th motorized artillery regiment
2nd motorized artillery regiment
1 anti tank regiment
1 light aa regiment

Divisional troops:
10th Mounted Rifle regiment (pulk strzelcow konnych) – armd recce regiment
1 divisional signal battalion
1 armoured divisional engineer battalion
1 tank replacement squadron
Logistics and othe troops







2nd Polish Corps
Formed in Palestine in 1942 from Polish troops evacuated from Sovjetunion in 1942.
1944- Italy: landed in Taranto Bari and Neapels
1944-1945- Italy: Monte Cassino, Loretto, Ghotic Line, caputred the city of Bologna in April 1945.


Organization of 2nd Polish Corps

12 Podolski Lancers (pulk ulanow podolskich) – reconaissance armoured car regiment
7 Armour regiment (pulk pancerny)
7 Anti tank regiment
7 Light anti-aircraft regiment (pulk artylerii przeciwlotniczej)
8 Heavy anti-aircraft regiment (pulk artylerii przeciwlotniczej ciezkiej)
1 Survey regiment
663 air reconaisencre squadron (Air observation post squadron)

2nd Artillery Group:
9,10,11,12 and 13 heavy artillery regiments (pulk artylerii ciezkiej)

10 and 20 engenieer battalions, 11 Railway Engenieer battalion

11 Signal battalion

Medical corps, ordnance corps, geographic corps, legal corps, pay corps and other service units

2nd “Warszawska” Polish Armoured Division (2 Warszawska Dywizja Pancerna)

2nd Armoured Brigade (3 x tank regiment and 1x motor battalion):
5 tank regiment “Skorpion”
1 Krechowiecki Lancers (pulk ulanow krechowieckich) - tank regiment
6 tank regiment “Dzieci Lwowskich”
2 commando battalion (2 batalion komandosow zmotoryzowanych) - motor battalion

16 Pomorska Infantry Brigade (pomorska brygada piechoty) with
3 infantry battalions (64,65 and 66) and 1 support company (mortars).

Divisional Artillery:
7 Horse artillery regiment (pulk artylerii konnej)- sp howitzers
16 Pomorski artillery regiment
2nd Anti-tank regiment
2nd light anti-aircraft regiment

Divisional troops:
Karpathian Lancers (pulk ulanow karpackich) - armd recce regiment
2 engineer battalion
2 signal battalion
9 tank replacement squadron


3rd Carpatian Rifle Division (dywizja strzelcow karpackich)
3 infantry Bgdes:
1 BSK (brygada strzelcow karpackich) with 1,2 and 3 inf battalions
2BSK with 4,5 and 6 inf battalions
3BSK with 7,8 and 9 inf battalions

Divisional Artillery:
1,2 and 3 light artillery regiments
3 light anti-aircraft regiment
3 anti-tank regiment

Divisional troops:
7 Lubelski Lancers ( pulk ulanow lubelskich) - armoured car recce regiment
3 engineer battalion
3 signal battalion
3 HMG battalion

5th Kresowa Infantry Division (kresowa dywizja piechoty)
3 infantry brigades:
4 Wolynska Inf Bde (wolynska brygada piechoty) with 10,11 and 12 inf battalions
5 Wilenska Inf Bde (wilenska brygada piechoty) with 13,14 and 15 inf battalions
6 Lwow Rifle Bde (lwowska brygada strzelcow) with 16, 17 and 18 inf battalions

Divisional Artillery:
4,5 and 6 light artillery regiments
5 light aa regiment
5 antitank regiment

Divisional troops:
25 Wielkopolski Lancers ( pulk ulanow wielkopolskich) - armoured car recce regiment
5 engineer battalion
5 signal battalion
5 HMG battalion


14th Wielkoposka Armoured Brigade
3 tank regiments:
15 Poznan Lancers (pulk ulanow poznanskich)
3 Slaski Lancers (pulk ulanow slaskich)
10 Hussars regiment (pulk huzarow)
14 tank replacement squadron
14 engineer company
14 signal company

2 Corps Base

The infantry of 2nd Corps base consisted of headquaters and four infantry battalions(A, B, C and D), the usual services including four general hospitals and miscellaneous units.
The estabishment of the 7th infantry Division with served as the Corps reserve and as the Army Training Centre are detailed bellow:
7 Infantry Division
17 Inf Bde with 21,22 and 23 inf battalions and MG company
17 light artillery regiment
17 engineer company
17 signal company
army training centre, special courses and schools


Organization of Units:

Armoured and Armoured reconnaissance Regiments and tank battalions:
Except in some minor details all were organized alike and capable of preforming same role
Headquarters – 4 cruiser tanks
Headquarter squadron: 4 troops: anti –aircraft (4 tanks fitted with 20mm guns), recce (11 light tanks), intercommunication (8 scout cars) and administrative.
3 tank squadrons: each a headquaters of 4, and 5 plts x 3 tanks each, total 19 tanks.
Some tank squadrons had 4 plts x 4 tanks each (when fitted with Shermans with 76mm gun) and one headquarter of 4 tanks.
Total tanks (Sherman or Cromwells): 61, light tanks: 11(Stuarts).
Strengh: 36 Officers and 630 Other ranks.

Armoured Car regiments (Corps level):
Headquarters: 3 armoured cars
4 x armd car squadrons: each a headquarters with 4 armd cars, 5 troops x 2 armd cars and 2 scout cars each, a heavy troop with 2 armd cars and a support troop of rifelmen in amoured Half-Track carriers.
Total armd cars: 67, total scout cars: 67
Streng: 55 Officers and 680 Other ranks

Reconaissance Regiments ( in the Infanty Division only):
Headquaters: 1 armd car
Headquarter squadron:antitank battery (eight 6pdr-guns), mortar troop (six 3-in mortars), signals and administrative troops.
3 x reccon squadrons: each with headquarters, 3 troops with scout troops with armd cars, light recce cars and Bren carriers and one assault troop of rifelmanin armd half-track carriers
Total armd vechicles: armd cars: 28, light recce cars: 24, Bren carriers: 63.
Strength: 41 Officers and 755 Other ranks.

Infantry/rifle battalions:
1 x Support company: 4 plts: mortar (six 3-in mortars), carrier (13 Bren carriers), anti-tank (six 6-pdr guns) and assault pioneer.
4 x rifle companies: each 3 plts of 3 sections. The section contined 10 menwith one light machine gun (mg), the plt 1 officer and 36 men, with one 2-in mortars. The company with 5 officers and 122 men with 3 PIAT anti-tank systems at company headquarters.
Battalion transport included 38 carriers of all kinds and 55 cars, trucks and lorries.
Strenght: 35 Officers and 786 Other ranks.

Motor Battalions:
1 x support company: 5 plts: 3 anti-tank plts ( total 12 pcs 6-pdr guns)and 2x plts medium machine guns (8 mg).
3 x motor companies: each 3 plts of riflemen in half-tracks and 1 plt in Bren carriers.
One motor company had 11 half tracks and 13 Bren carriers
Strenght: 37 Officers and 782 Other ranks.

Machine-Gun battalions:
1x heavy mortar company: 4 plts x 4 mortars, total 16 pcs of 4.2-in mortars
3 x machine gun companies: each 3 plts of with total of 12 medium machine guns.
Strenght: 35 Officers and 662 Other ranks

Artillery Field Regiments:
3 x batteries: each of 2 troops with four 25-pdr guns, total 24 guns per regiment.
Tractor- towed or self-propelled. Amunition carried in first line: HE 144, smoke 16, armour-piercing 12 rounds per gun.

Artillery Medium Regiments:
2 x batteries: each x 2 troops of four5.5-in guns, total 16 guns per regiment, tractor-towed.
Ammunition carried in first line: HE 100, round per gun.

Arillery Heavy Regiments:
2 x batteries of four 7.2-in howitzers or four 155 US guns (Long Tom), total 16 howitzers and guns per regiment.

Light anti-aircraft regiments:
3 x batteries: each x 3 troops with 6 guns (40 mm Bofors), total 54 guns per regiment.

Heavy Anti-aircraft regiments:
3 x batteries: each x 2 troops with 4 guns (3.7-in guns), total 24 guns per regiment.

Anti-tank regiments:
4 x batteries: each battery of one troop with 6-pdr guns and 2 troops with 17pdr guns,
Total, 12 pcs of 6-pdrs and 36 pcs of 17-pdr guns per regiment.


Survey regiments:
2 x batteries: each one observation, one sound-ranging and one survey troop.

Air Observation Post squadrons:
The squadrons were provided on the scale one per corps plus one spare per army.
They contained 3 flights, each of 4 aircraft. Total 12 aircrafts per squadron.


Parachute battalions:
1 x headquarter company: 5 plts which included two mortar (each four 3-in mortars) and one anti-tank (10 PIAT).
3 x rifle companies: each 3 plts.
Stremgth: 29 Officers and 584 Other ranks

Engineer Units:
Field companies (or squadrons) on the establishment of divisions had 3 identical platoons (or troops) and a strength of 7 officers and 250 other ranks.
The field park company (or squadron) contained one workshop and one stores platoon (or troop), its task being to act as a base for the field companies and hold the specialistand bukly equipment such as dozers. The divisional bridging platoon , now separated from the field park company, carried the materials for 80 feet of Bailey bridging capable of taking loads of 40 tons.

Signal Units:
Divisional signals contained 3 or 4 companies (or squadrons) depending on the type of division, the total strength approx 28 Officers and 700 Other ranks. One company(or squadron) provided the communications for divisional hedaquarters, a second supplied sections to the divisional artillery units and a third to the headquarters of infantry brigades,
the reconaissance regiment the machine gunners and the engineers. Additionally, in the armoured division, a fourth squadron preformed the same function for the armored brigade and its units.

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jest zdjecie podpisane "Polscy artylerzyscii..." i widac tam dzialo ppanc.
Z tarczy i kol przypomina mi bardzo 5cm Paka ale jednak jakos tarcza za bardzo przesunieta w tyl...co to za dzialo?