A variation of the Battle of Rokitna commemorative badge

[dastier]

Cavalry Charge at Rokitna, June 13th, 1915


Polish Uhlans charge Russian trenches by Wiktor Kossak

Background: Units of the 2nd Brigade of Piłsudski's Polish Legions were deployed in support of the Austro Hungarian 42nd Division at the village of Rokitna near Czerniowice (Chernovtsy), Bukovina. The 42nd Infantry Division tried to take village, but were rebuffed by the Russians entrenched there.

Russian counterattacks threatened the 42nd Division positions. It was decided that the second and third squadron of Uhlans under command of Rotmistrz Dunin-Wąsowicz would attack Rokitna at noon to relieve the pressure on the 42nd Division.

Dunin-Wąsowicz personally lead the charge. After crossing muddy terrain near Rokitnianka River, he placed 3rd squadron in reserve and attacked with the 2nd. In fifteen minutes the Polish Uhlans forced two lines of enemy trenches, creating great chaos and casualties amongst Russians soldiers. Despite the Polish determination, the cavalry charge was in vain due to insufficient infantry support. Out of 64 Polish Uhlans from 2nd squadron - only six survived.


Cavalry charge at Rokitna by Stanislaw Kaczor Botowski


Rotmistrz Zbigniew Dunin-Wąsowicz

A variation of the commemorative badge.

[dastier]

A note on casualties and outcomes.

The Historical Dictionary of Poland 966-1945 calls the Battle of Rokitna a success due to the charge of the Uhlans. A post made on the armchairgeneral.com web site indicates three lines of trenches and was the basis for the losses quoted in the thread. Further searching resulted in a lesser figure 4 officers and 12 men killed during the charge.

[kapral]

The six survivors mentioned originally refers to men who returned from the charge unharmed. The rest were wounded, lost, taken prisoners and 15 fallen in the field of glory. One died the next day. The battle was indeed a success as the Russians abandoned their positions during the following night and the Poles advanced on the 14th of June into Besarabia.

[A.J. Zawadzki]

Good post Mike and thanks for tha added info Kapral .

The commemmorative Rokitna badge posted above is a copy. Here are two genuine badges with variation in the pinback fastening:





Cheers,
Tony

[StefanM]

I wonder when it was copied the nut looks the same as those often found on 2PolCorps collar pennons made in Italy?