Battle of Krechowce
Battle of Krechowce | |||||||
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Part of the Eastern Front during World War I | |||||||
Scheme of the Battle of Krechowce | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Russian Republic |
Germany Austria-Hungary | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Pavel Sytin Bolesław Mościcki | |||||||
Units involved | |||||||
1st Polish Uhlan Regiment |
The Battle of Krechowce (Polish: Bitwa pod Krechowcami) took place on 24 July 1917, during World War I. Polish uhlans of the Russian Army were ordered to halt Imperial German Army forces advancing on the city of Stanisławów, located in Galicia in Austria-Hungary. The battle between the Polish and German forces took place near the village of Krechowce (Ukrainian: Крихівці). The Polish uhlans managed to check the Germans for an entire day, then retreated to Stanisławów.
Opening moves
On 21 July 1917, the Polish 1st Uhlan Regiment, a force of 400 soldiers which was part of the Russian Army's Puławy Legion, entered Stanisławów, where it defended the civilian population from Russian marauders who were looting the city. The Russian 11th Infantry Division was located on the outskirts of Stanisławów, but another Russian unit ordered to defend the area to the south of the city, the 19th Infantry Division, did not take its positions, as most of its soldiers had fled.
The Russian
Colonel Bolesław Mościcki, who commanded the regiment, split his forces into two groups, which, due to the hilly terrain, were not in contact with each other. Furthermore, he decided to attack the enemy with his troops mounted. He ordered his 4th Squadron to protect the road from Radzcza to Stanisławów, his 2nd Squadron to attack the village of Krechowce, and his 3rd Squadron to advance behind the 2nd Squadron. His 1st Squadron formed his reserve.
Battle
On 24 July 1917 at 3:30 p.m., the Polish forces, reinforced by a Russian
Meanwhile, a
Mościcki's patrols returned from Krechowce at about 8 p.m., providing him with information about German reinforcements which had appeared in the village. Before nightfall, all Polish forces were ordered to retreat to a location south of Stanisławów.
Aftermath
Facing an overhwlemingly superior enemy force and without artillery support of its own, the 400 soldiers of the lst Uhlan Regiment checked the advance of 2,000 Germans for five hours, allowing the Russian 11th Infantry Division to avoid encirclement and withdraw. Although the Battle of Krechowce was not important from a strategic point of view, and did not significantly affect the events of World War I, it became legendary among
Sources
This article includes a improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (October 2014) ) |
- Andrzej Suchcitz Dzieje 1 Pułku Ułanów Krechowieckich 1941-1947 wyd. Veritas Foundation Publication Centra. Londyn 2002 ISBN 0-948202-99-8.
- Aleksander Wojciechowski 1 Pułk Ułanów Krechowieckich (z cyklu Zarys historii wojennej pułków polskich 1918-1920) wyd. Warszawa 1929.
- Jan Litewski, Władysław Dziewanowski Dzieje 1-go Pułku Ułanów Krechowieckich (pamięci poległych oficerów i ułanów pułku) wyd. Wojskowe Biuro Historyczne, Warszawa 1932
- Bolesław Jan Kukiełka Teki B.J. Kukiełki (Materiały do dziejów 1 Pułku Ułanów Krechowieckich), Londyn 1985
See also