16th Mechanised Division (Poland)

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16th Pomeranian Mechanised Division
16. Pomorska Dywizja Piechoty
Mechanised infantry
Size	Division
Part of	Armed Forces General Command
Garrison/HQ	Elbląg
Engagements	Greater Poland Uprising Polish-Soviet War Kiev offensive (1920) Battle of Warsaw Battle of the Niemen River May Coup (Poland) World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of the Bzura Battle of the Kampinos Forest Iraq War War in Afghanistan
Website	www.wojsko-polskie.pl/16dz/
Commanders
First	Col. Wojciech Kubiak
Current	Gen. maj. Krzysztof Radomski

The 16th Pomeranian Infantry Division (

. It was first raised on 16 August 1919 during the Polish uprising, before going on to serve during the subsequent war with the Bolsheviks. At the start of World War II the division fought briefly against the advancing German Army before being destroyed on 19 September 1939 after being surrounded in the Kampinos Forest. The division was raised once more in 1945 following the Soviet takeover of Poland; however, it did not see further action during the war. Afterwards it continued to serve, undergoing a number of changes in name and role. Today, it exists as the 16th Mechanised Division.

History

Formation

The Polish 16th Infantry Division was created on August 16, 1919, during the

, the division never reached its planned strength and was dispatched to the front without some of its forces. It was then composed of:

• 31st Infantry Brigade (under Col. Mischke)
• 32nd Infantry Brigade (65th Infantry Regiment without 1,5 battalion; under Krauss)
• 16th Artillery Brigade (understrength)

As part of the Polish 4th Army the division took part in the

. Partially demobilized, it retained its geographical description as an unofficial nickname (thus the division is often referred to as 16. Pomorska Dywizja Piechoty).

Inter War Years

After the war the division was stationed in its home region of Pomerania. Its regiments were stationed in

.

World War II

After the outbreak of the

Zygmunt Szyszko-Bohusz

, until then the deputy commander of the division. The latter prepared the plan of a counter-attack on the flank of the advancing Germans, but the fast pace of their advance cut out the Pomorze Army in two and the attack was called off.

After a successful withdrawal through

battle of the Kampinos Forest

of September 19.

During

and instead it served in a variety of roles in the rear.

Post World War II

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2009)

Renamed to 16th Kashubian Infantry Division, in 1949 it was reformed into an Armoured Division and then

The division was re-formed as part of the

. Initially, its task was primarily reconstruction in the city and protecting property from theft.

In the summer of 1945 the division consisted of headquarters in Gdańsk, the 51st Infantry Regiment at

, the 41st Light Artillery Regiment at Gdańsk, the 20 Independent Motorized Division Artillery, which moved twice before being established at Elblag, the 47th Sapper Battalion at Gdansk-Wrzeszcz, the 12 Independent Communications Battalion in Gdansk-Wrzeszcz, and several smaller units. Since 1945 the division went through various reorganisations and changes of station. In 1947, it was given its distinctive name "Kashubian".

In 1949, 16th Kashubian Infantry Division was reorganised as the 16th Kashubian Tank Division and moved to

In 1955 it became a tank division again and in this form served until 1989, when it was reorganised as a mechanised division once more.

From January 11, 2007 to December 31, 2010, the 14th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment (Poland) was within the structures of the 16th Pomeranian Mechanized Division "King Kazimierz Jagiellończyk".

Organization 2024

As of 2024 the 16th "Pomeranian" Mechanised Division consists of the following units:

• 16th Pomeranian Mechanised Division, in Olsztyn
  • 16th Command Battalion, in Olsztyn
  • 9th Armoured Cavalry Brigade, in Braniewo
  • 15th Mechanised Brigade, in Giżycko
  • 20th Mechanised Brigade, in Bartoszyce
  • 1st Artillery Brigade, in Węgorzewo^[2]
  • 14th Anti-tank Regiment, in Suwałki (being formed)
  • 15th Air-Defence Regiment, in Gołdap
  • 16th Sapper Regiment, in Orzysz (being formed)
  • 16th Logistic Regiment, in Elbląg

The divisions is equipped with PT-91 Twardy and T-72M1Z tanks, BWP-1 infantry fighting vehicles and 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery. The 11th Artillery Regiment is equipped with WR-40 Langusta multiple rocket launchers and an operational group with 24 AHS Krab.

According to

's Northern Star newsletter of February 2017, the division will be reorganised as the new Multi-National Division North East, agreed on by NATO at the NATO Warsaw Summit.

Commander

• Colonel John Bołbat (1945)
• Col.. Stanislaw Edward Grodzki (1946)
• Brig. Sigmund Duszyński (1947)
• Brig. Stanislaw Daniluk-Daniłowski (1947)
• Col. Kazimierz Pest (1948-1949)

See also

• Polish army order of battle in 1939
• Polish contribution to World War II
• List of Polish divisions in World War II

Notes

External links

• 16th Mechanized Division