10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade (Poland)

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The

Under the terms of the

This state of affairs changed when Germany invaded the Low Countries in 1940, out-flanking the French fortifications. General Maczek's unit suddenly received all the equipment they had asked for on condition: that they go into action immediately. This proved impossible because many Polish soldiers were unfamiliar with their new equipment and there was no time for training. General Maczek decided to lead a small force of his best trained men, hoping that the rest of his unit would join them later. That small force, comprising veterans of the 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade (the so-called "Black Brigade"), was now renamed the 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade (10 Brygada Kawalerii Pancernej). On June 6, the brigade had one tank battalion, two strong motorized cavalry squadrons, one anti-tank battery and one anti-aircraft battery.

The brigade was attached to the French

The brigade was by this time fighting alone, with the French units on both flanks either routed or in retreat. There were no French forces to exploit its victory and the decimated Polish unit found itself surrounded by the enemy and without fuel. On June 18, General Maczek decided to destroy most of his equipment and withdraw on foot. Later that day he split the remnants of his brigade into small groups, so they could pass more easily through enemy lines. Many of Maczek's men, including the general himself, found their way to Great Britain where a Polish armoured unit was eventually recreated, while others joined the Polish and French resistance organizations in France and Belgium.

Formation in Britain and Post Cold War

The 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade was a small formation; most of its soldiers, after reaching Britain, formed part of General Maczek's 1st Armoured Division created in February 1942.

The brigade fought as part of the 1st Armoured Division in north-west Europe in 1944-45, but was disbanded after the war.

However it was reformed in 1995 and later equipped with Leopard 2 tanks purchased from Germany (see pl:10 Brygada Kawalerii Pancernej (III RP)). It is now part of the 11th Armoured Cavalry Division headquartered at Żagań.

References

• Stanisław Maczek, "Od Podwody do czołga", Lublin-London 1990

Reference: "With the tanks of the 1st Polish Armoured Division" A Tomaszewska (H L Smit and zn, Hengelo, Holland [sic], 1946)