Polish soldiers in France 1940

[Gary J]

From a private collection of personal photo's ..
"Life in the Coetquidan" ... France 1940

[andrzejku98]

Hi everyone,

Here are some more Polish Army in France during 1939-1940.

]

General Sikorski with French Generals Denain and Requin, at Autreville Martigny 3rd May 1940



Know your Enemy?



June 1940 Polish Troops onboard the Royal Scotsman

[andrzejku98]

Some more with captions,

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1st Armoured Regiment in France 1a

Attachment 386294

1st Armoured Regiment in France 1b

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1st armoured Regiment in France 1c

Attachment 386296

3rd May 1940 Autreville Martigny 1st Grenadier Division Mounted Band plays in review

Attachment 386297

30th March 1940 Angers, Band plays as colours presented to Engineers Regiment

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Field Kitchen somewhere in France in 1940.

p.s. click the photographs to view larger.

Andrzejku

[dastier]

Thanks for all the great photos guys! Lots of uniform and webbing details here. Those Berthiers with bayonets attached almost look like medieval pikes.

[dastier]

Sorry, I could not resist...



Pretty French mademoiselle: "Soldat polonais, voulez-vous coucher avec moi?"

Dispatch rider on the right: "Czy to oznacza, że ​​to, co myślę, że to oznacza?"

Dispatch rider on the left: "Woohoo ... idź do niego!"

Infantry soldier: "Dlaczego oni zawsze iść do chłopaków z motocykli ..."


No translation needed...

[dastier]

Renault UE Chenillette with a Polish soldier along for the ride. Another Polish soldier appears to be inspecting a Universal or Bren Gun carrier behind the Renault.



This may be a UE2 of the Polish 1st Grenadier Infantry Division as it was so equipped. Does anyone recognize the unit insignia on the hull?

[dastier]

This is a link to the Order of Battle of the 1re Division d'Infanterie Polonaise (1re DIP)* of the French 4e Armée:

4e Armée Order of Battle / Ordre de bataille, 10/05/1940



*also know as the 1re Division de Grenadiers Polonais (1re DGP) - 1st Polish Grenadier Infantry Division.

[andrzejku98]

Hi Everyone its a new day and some new photos of Polish Troops in France in 1939-1940, I hope that you like them.

Attachment 386691

3rd May 1940 Autreville Martigny 1st Grenadier Division troops march past

Attachment 386692

General Sikorski signing the 1st Grenaider Divisions Journal at Autreville Martigny 3rd May 1940

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Grenadier of the 1st Grenadier Division at Autreville Martigny 3rd May 1940

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General Sikorski speaking with the Commanding Officer of the 1st Grenadier Division Plk Bronislaw Duch at Autreville Martigny 3rd May 1940

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Artillery of the 1st Grenadier Division at Autreville Martigny 3rd May 1940

Attachment 386696

30th March 1940 Angers General Sikorski about to leave after presenting new Standard to Engineers Regiment

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Angers 30th March 1940 Troops taking the Oath

p.s. just click the photographs to enlarge, I hope that you like them

Best wishes

Andrzejku

[dastier]

10e Brigade blindée polonaise* of the French 4e Armée:

Commanded by Brigadier-General Stanisław Maczek, on June 6 1940 the Brigade had one tank battalion, two motorized cavalry squadrons, one anti-tank battery and one anti-aircraft battery (other sources mention one 105mm artillery battery as well). The 10e Brigade blindée polonaise covered the flank of the 4e Armée near Reims.



Initially moved by rail to Paris between 27th to 30th May 1940, the Brigade set up its HQ in the château at Corbeville, which was later moved to Orsay.



The tank regiment was quickly moved towards the faltering ‘front’ to Camp de Satory where they were equipped with new Renault R35 tanks while the cavalry took up positions at Arpagon.

French R-35 with short barrel gun.


This R-35 tank is on display at the Musée des Blindés at Saumur. The 1st and 2nd tank battalions of the 10e Brigade blindée polonaise were equipped with 17 R-35s in addition to 24 R-40s. In late May/June, the 24 R-40s were replaced with 28 newer ones.

Polish R-40 tank. The 10e Brigade blindée polonaise had one R-40 battalion with two companies in June 1940: "Pagézy" and "Chabowski" with 15 tanks each.


Improved version of the R-35 tank with a better suspension that consisted of 12 pairs of small road-wheels on each side mounted in pairs, vertical coil springs, and protective skirting plates. This vehicle mounted the long-barreled 37mm SA38 L/33 gun in the APX-R1 turret and had an AMX trench-crossing tail. Only 120 tanks built from 10th May 1940 onwards.


The 1st Polish Grenadier Division (as part of the French 20th Corps) based at Colombey-les-Belles, southwest of Nancy in Lorraine, fought rear-guard battles in the Moselle area around Diesen on the German border and Lagarde and Raon-L’Etape to the east of Nancy until destroyed. The 2nd Rifle Infantry Division (2DSP) commanded by Brigadier-General Bronislaw Pruger-Ketling was despatched to the front near Belfort, and facing a similar fate, withdrew its surviving remnants across the border into internment in Switzerland.

Captured 2DSP weapons.


Unable to adequately defend its operational area due to the vastness of its size, the 10e Brigade blindée polonaise could only execute a delaying action and provide cover for retreating units which were under constant attack and bombing.

A charge by troops of the Brigade against the German held town of Champaubert-Montgivroux in the Marne Valley allowed the French 20th and 59th Infantry Divisions to escape through the St. Gond marshes.

Later the brigade had to withdraw with the rest of French troops, and joined the French XXIII Corps. On June 15th the Brigade crossed the river Seine at Bar sur Seine to the south east of Troyes in an attempt to get to Chaource for fuel. Having being ordered to take the town of Montbard situated about half way between Auxerre and Dijon, on June 16 the Brigade attacked, by night, the 66th Regiment of the Wehrmacht's 13th Motorized Division at a fortified bridge over the Burgundy Canal.



Tanks of the 10e Brigade blindée polonaise attacking German forces at Montbard .


This action allowed a French corps to escape along the canal banks. Surrounded, General Maczek ordered all tanks and artillery pieces to be destroyed in the woods at Moloy, and the surviving troops to escape for the coasts of France.



Polish troops evacuated from France.


HMS Royal Scotsman.

HMS Royal Ulsterman

Note: I believe these photos show the ships after they were modified as troopships for the Royal Navy.

For a day to day account of the ships involved and a brief daily situation report (which tends to convey some of the urgency and confusion of the events during Operation Ariel - the evacuation of British, Commonwealth and Allied troops and civilians from the channel ports): Operation Aeriel, June 1940

* Polish 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade (10 Brygada Kawalerii Pancernej).

Source: Poland in Exile - The Polish Army in Great Britain

[dastier]

Another photo to go along with the previous one of Polish soldiers in Arras:




1st Polish Grenadier Division telephonist.

Camp de Coëtquidan:





Rifle range practice...

...and the enivitable result - weapons cleaning! Note Berthier rifles.


Polish soldiers' 'sing along' - patriotic moral booster perhaps?


Poles disembarking at the Gare de Coëtquidan.



Deployment to Fort Belfort of the 2nd Rifle Division (2 Dywizja Strzelców Pieszych) under the command of General Bronisław Prugar-Ketling. The 2 DSP was based at Parthenay and after the Fall of France would be interned in Switzerland.