1st Independent Parachute Brigade (Poland)
1 Samodzielna Brygada Spadochronowa
1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade
1 SBS
Chain of Command
Directly subordinate to Polish Government in Exile
In 1944 transferred under British command
Airborne force, rapidly deployable aeromobile infantry force.
Unknown
Airborne operations, conducting direct action operations, urban warfare, reconnaissance, covert operations.
Motto
Najkrótszą drogą
The Shortest Way
Standard British para brigade structure
Brigade composed of three battalions
with organic artillery and other troops
standard British para battledress
with Polish markings
Rifles:
Machine pistols:
Machine guns:
Sniper rifles:
Other weapons:
The Polish paras were also extensively trained in usage of
German weapons and Polish pre-war weapons available to the Polish Underground
Anti-tank weapons:
Reason for creation
Liberation of Poland as part of the all-national uprising
training of cichociemni
sparing the few Polish recruits in Britain for high-profile units instead of cannon fodder
The 1st (Polish) Independent Parachute Brigade was a parachute brigade under command of Maj.Gen. Stanisław Sosabowski, created in Scotland in September 1941 with the mission to drop into occupied Poland in order to help liberate the country.
The unit was eventually used during Operation Market Garden in 1944, as part of the Allied 1st Airborne Division. The Poles were initially landed by glider from the 18th September, whilst due to bad weather over England, the Parachute section of the Brigade was held up, and provisionally jumped on the 21st September. The Poles suffered significant casualties during the next few days of fighting, but still were able, by their presence, to cause around 2500 German troops to be diverted to hem them in for fear of supporting the remnants of 1st Airborne trapped over the lower Rhine in Oosterbeek.
History
The anti-tank battery went into Arnhem during the first days of the battle, supporting the British paratroopers at Oosterbeek. This left Sosabowski without any anti-tank capability. The light artillery battery was left behind in England due to a shortage of gliders. Owing to bad weather and a shortage of transport planes, the drop into Driel, on the south bank of the Rhine, was delayed 2 days. Finally the 2nd Battalion, and elements of the 3rd Battalion with also the support troops from the brigades Medical Company, Engineer Company, and HQ Company were dropped under German fire East of Driel. They over-ran Driel, after it was realised that the Hevesdorp ferry had been destroyed. In Driel, the Polish Paratroopers set up a defensive "Hedgehog" position, from which over the next two nights further attempts to cross the Rhine were made.
The following day, the Poles were able to produce some make-shift boats and attempted the crossing. With great difficulty and under German fire, the 8th Parachute Company and later additional troops from 3rd Battalion, managed to cross the Rhine in two attempts. In total about 200 Polish Paratroopers made it across in two days, and were able to cover the subsequent withdrawal of the remnants of the British 1st Airborne Division.
On the 26th of September 1944, the brigade (now including the 1st Battalion and elements of the 3rd Battalion, who were parachuted near to Grave on the 23rd September) was ordered to march in the direction of Nijmegen. The brigade had lost 23% of its fighting strength, amounting to 400 casualties.
In 1945 it was attached to the Polish 1st Armoured Division and undertook occupation duties in Northern Germany until 30th June 1947 when it was disbanded. The majority of its soldiers stayed in exile.
Brigade Order of Battle
- Brigade HQ CO: Maj.Gen S. Sosabowski
- Deputy Brigade CO: Lt.Col. S. Jachnik
- 1st Parachute Battalion CO: Lt.Col. M. Tonn
- 1st Parachute Company
- 2nd Parachute Company
- 3rd Parachute Company
- 2nd Parachute Battalion CO: Lt.Col. W. Ploszewski
- 4th Parachute Company
- 5th Parachute Company
- 6th Parachute Company
- 3rd Parachute Battalion CO: Maj. W. Sobocinski
- 7th Parachute Company
- 8th Parachute Company
- 9th Parachute Company
- Airborne Anti-tank Battery CO: Capt. J. Wardzala
- Airborne Engineer Company CO: Capt. P. Budziszewski
- Airborne Signals Company CO: Capt. J. Burzawa
- Airborne Medical Company CO: Lt. J. Mozdzierz
- Transport and Supply Company CO: Capt. A. Siudzinski
- Airborne Light Artillery Battery CO: Maj. J. Bielecki
-
Gen. Sosabowski during Operation Market Garden
-
Training at Monkey Grove Largo House.
-
Polish anti-tank artillery in training
See also
References
- . ISBN 1853671657.
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