The Polish Volhynian cavalry brigade: Part 1,2 & 3

[Anatoli]

As I have around a total of 1 hour of travel time to and from work I realized a great time to spend it was to do some reading of the many books I bought a while back.

I started out reading the book titled (when translated into English) "The combat operations of the Volhynian cavalry brigade: First phase of the September campaign 1939" by Marcin Paluch.

This is an interesting book written very much like an essay, the author explains the background of the equipment, organization and preparation for war that the cavalry brigade went through, as well as allowing the reader to follow the combat operations of the opening days of the September campaign when the Volhynian cavalry brigade was made famous for their fighting at the battle of Mokra with the support of armoured train nr.53 "Smialy"/("Bold").

I figured it would be nice to share some historical information as I make my way through the book - since it is in Polish and I'm not sure if there is a English version out there.

Part 1 is discussing the equipment of the Polish cavalry brigades, part 2 will be about Polish cavalry tactics and part 3 will be about the Volhynian cavalry brigade and their battle against the German 1st and 4th Panzerdivision at Mokra.

http://anatolisgameroom.blogspot.se/2013/11/the-battles-of-volhynian-cavalry.html

[Helen]

Thank you for taking the time in providing this interesting information.

Cheers,

Helen

[ARKOUDAKI]

Many thanks...keep the info on the Polish armed forces coming!

[Anatoli]

Thanks, part 2 and 3 will both be up next week 

[PAULSPENCE]

Bonjour Anatoli,

Thanks for this!

I look forward to reading all about them and it will encourage me to finish painting the 20mm Polish cavalry figures I started 10 years ago.

Cheers,

Paul

[former user]

Hi Anatoli
thank You very much for sharing with us this interesting piece of military history. I was always curious to learn more about how cavalry and armoured trains worked during the early WW2, especially against the propaganda of the invincible Blitzkrieg.
For me the available info came from this article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Mokra
which is very detailed but unfortunately referenced with polish literature, which I cannot read.
I am looking forward to Your elaboration, maybe this map can help

[Anatoli]

@former user
Fortunately the book that I am covering is describing how the Polish armoured trains were used as support for the cavalry during that particular battle. It will be described in part 3 

[Anatoli]

Part 2 is a very lengthy description of tactics and doctrine used by Polish cavalry brigades during the September Campaign, as well as the description of defensive preparations made by the Volhynian Cavalry brigade around Mokra just prior to the German invasion and the 2 day battle in the area that would follow.

Check my blog for the complete part 2:
http://anatolisgameroom.blogspot.se/2013/11/the-volhynian-cavalry-brigade-1939-part.html

[Anatoli]

In this third and last part I composed a summary of the book that describes the battle of Mokra in and around the forests and the villages held by the Volhynian cavalry brigade supported by the armoured train nr.53 "Smialy" against the 4th Panzer Division supported by infantry.

Also described in this part is Polish night attack performed by a single company on the village of Kamiensk.

Check it out over at my blog:

http://anatolisgameroom.blogspot.se/2013/11/the-volhynian-cavalry-brigade-1939-part_30.html

[former user]

Hi @Anatoli

thank You very much for Your detail summary of the book - another puzzle piece has been added for me in the understanding of the early WW2