1st Legions Infantry Division (Poland)

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1st Legions Infantry Division
Dyneburg, Kiev offensive, Battle of Warsaw, Invasion of Poland
Commanders
Current
commander		Brig. General Norbert Iwanowski
Notable
commanders		Edward Rydz-Śmigły, Wincenty Kowalski
Insignia
Unit abbreviation1 DPLeg
Parent UnitWyszków

Polish-Bolshevik War and World War II. Regarded by the soldiers of the Wehrmacht as the Iron Division, it distinguished itself in the Invasion of Poland.[1]

History

The 1st Legions Infantry Division tracks its origins to the 1919 establishment of the Polish state and was disbanded in 1944. After a 70-years long hyatus, the Division has been revived in the wake of the 2020s Polish rearmament.

1919-1944

As one of the most experienced and best equipped Polish divisions, it fought in many of the most notable battles of the

Kiev itself (May 7). After the Polish withdrawal, the unit took part in heavy retreat battles and shielded the retreat of the rest of the Polish forces. After several clashes with the 1st Cavalry Army, the division broke off and reached the area of the Wieprz River, from where it started the counter-offensive during the Battle of Warsaw (see Battle of Dęblin and Mińsk Mazowiecki). On the second day of the Polish offensive, August 16, the division managed to outflank the Bolshevik Mozyr Group by a forced march of over 56 kilometres. After that the division, commanded by Stefan Dąb-Biernacki, was attached to the Second Army and took part in the second biggest battle of the war, the Battle of the Niemen River. During the battle, the unit formed the core of the Wilno Group and took part in a successful outflanking manoeuvre of the Bolshevik forces centered on the city of Grodno
.

After that the division was moved to the rear and took part in shielding the border with

en cadre divisional core. In the Second Polish Republic
, the division consisted of three infantry regiments (1st, 5th, and 6th; all garrisoned in Wilno), and other units, such as light and heavy artillery regiments, a company of cyclists, military engineers, and a mounted squadron.

Before the outbreak of

Wyszków. Reinforced by 98th Heavy Artillery Detachment and 61st Light Artillery Detachment, the division successfully repelled a German assault near Brańszczyk, after which it began delaying actions while retreating towards Kałuszyn
. On 11 September that town was seized by German units and had to be retaken by force during heavy street fighting in the dark.

From there, General Wincenty Kowalski planned a counter-assault of his division. In what became known as the

8th Infantry Division
. Shortly afterward the division effectively ceased to exist.

Order Of Battle

2022 - present

As a reaction to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine of 2022, the Polish

Masovia
. The 1DPLeg will be the fifth mechanized division of the Polish Armed Forces.

The headquarters of the revived 1DPLeg are in Ciechanów[2]

Mission

The 1st Legions Infantry Division is tasked to complement the defence of the Belarus–Poland border alongside the 16th Mechanised Division and the 18th Infantry Division.[3][4] Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak stated that the formation is to "saturate" eastern Poland.[5]

As an organised military formation, the 1st Legions Infantry Division is also tasked to support the Department for Civil Protection and Crisis Management in case of emergency.[3]

Organisation 2024

1st Legions Infantry Division (Poland) is located in Poland
1 Legions Div.
1 Legions Div.
1 Leg. Armor.
1 Leg. Armor.
2 Leg. Mech.
2 Leg. Mech.
3 Leg. Mech.
3 Leg. Mech.
1 Leg. Mot.
1 Leg. Mot.
1 Leg. Art.
1 Leg. Art.
1 Anti-tank
1 Anti-tank
1 Leg. Air-def.
1 Leg. Air-def.
3 Leg. Sapper
3 Leg. Sapper
class=notpageimage|
1st Legions Infantry Division locations 2024

The 1st Legions Infantry Division is to include a total of four Mechanised Brigades. Each of the Division's four Mechanised Brigades comprises four Mechanised Battalions and one Artillery Battalion.[6] The division will be the largest Polish formation and equipped with Polish and South Korean equipment. As of 2023/24 the 1st Legions Infantry Division consists of the following units:[7][8][9]

  • 1st Legions Infantry Division "Józef Piłsudski", in Ciechanów
    • 1st Command Battalion, in Ciechanów
    • 1st Legions Armoured Brigade, in Czerwony Bór
      • Command Battalion, in Czerwony Bór
      • 1st Legions Tank Battalion, in Czerwony Bór
      • 2nd Legions Tank Battalion, in Siemiatycze-Czartajew
    • 2nd Legions Mechanised Brigade, in Brodnica
      • Command Battalion, in Brodnica
      • 1st Legions Mechanised Battalion, in Brodnica
    • 3rd Legions Mechanised Brigade, in Ślubowo
      • Command Battalion, in Ślubowo
      • 1st Legions Mechanised Battalion, in Ślubowo
    • 1st Legions Motorised Brigade, in Kolno
      • Command Battalion, in Kolno
      • 1st Legions Motorised Battalion, in Kolno
      • 2nd Legions Motorised Battalion, in Grajewo
    • 1st Legions Artillery Brigade, in Iława
      • Command Battery, in Iława
    • 1st Legions Anti-Tank Regiment, in Wielbark (forming)
      • Command Company, in Wielbark
    • 1st Legions Anti-Aircraft Regiment, in Ostrołęka
      • Command Battery, in Ostrołęka
      • 1st Legions Anti-Aircraft Squadron, in Ostrołęka
    • 3rd Legions Sapper Regiment, in Chełmno
      • Command Company, in Chełmno
      • Legions Sapper Battalion, in Chełmno
    • 1st Legions Logistics Regiment (forming)
      • Command Company
    • 1st Legions Reconnaissance Battalion, in Białystok
    • 1st Legions Signal Battalion, in Ciechanów
    • 1st Legions Chemical Battalion, in Brodnica
    • 1st Division Training Center, in Czerwony Bór
    • 2nd Division Training Center, in Ślubowo

Equipment

The 1st Legions Infantry Division does not deploy Soviet equipment.[4] The Mechanized Brigades are equipped with K2 Black Panther and M1A2 Abrams SEP V3 main battle tanks; the artillery units are equipped with K9 Thunder and AHS Krab howitzers.[6]

The co-presence of M1 Abrams and K2 Black Panther main battle tanks is a departure from the equipment of both the 16th Mechanized Division, which relies on Korean tanks, and the 18th Mechanized Division, which is equipped with M1 Abrams.[10]

The formation will also have the Gladius unmanned aerial reconnaissance and strike systems.[6]

See also

Bibliography

  • Seidner, Stanley S. Marshal Edward Śmigły-Rydz Rydz and the Defense of Poland, New York, 1978.
  • Lech Wyszczelski: Wojsko Polskie w latach 1918-1921. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Neriton, 2006
  • Zdzisław Jagiełło: Piechota Wojska Polskiego 1918-1939. Warszawa: Bellona, 2007

Notes

  1. ^ PAWEŁ PIOTR WIECZORKIEWICZ, WRZESIEŃ 1939 - PRÓBA NOWEGO SPOJRZENIA
  2. ^ "1. Dywizja Piechoty Legionów im. Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego".
  3. ^ a b Korsak, Ewa (3 April 2023). "Plan for Division". www.polska-zbrojna.pl. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  4. ^ a b Graf, Jędrzej (26 April 2023). "Biggest Division of the Polish Army with Korean Equipment. General Iwanowski: All As Per Schedules and Budget". defence24.com. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Poland creates new army division on eastern border - English Section - polskieradio.pl". polskieradio.pl (in Polish). Polskie Radio. 9 January 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Bisht, Inder Singh (12 January 2023). "Poland Raises New Infantry Division Along Belarus Border". The Defense Post. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  7. ^ Graf, Jędrzej. "Biggest Division of the Polish Army with Korean Equipment. General Iwanowski: All as per schedules and budget". defence24. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  8. ^ "Poland creates new army division on eastern border". Polskie Radio - English section. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Plan for Division". Polska Zbrojna. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  10. ^ Ciślak, Jarosław (11 January 2023). "Poland Establishes Marshall Pilsudski Infantry Division". defence24.com (in Polish). Retrieved 26 June 2023.
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