Polish 6th Infantry Division (Polish language: 6. Dywizja Piechoty ) was a unit of the Polish Army in the interbellum period, which took part in the Polish September Campaign. The Division was created on May 9, 1919 in the area around Krakow, its first commandant was Colonel Ignacy Pick. Between 1919 and 1920, the unit fought Ukrainian troops in eastern part of Austrian former province of Galicia. Then, it participated in the Polish-Soviet War, halting the advance of Soviet First Mounted Army led by General Semyon Budyonny. Several soldiers were after the conflict awarded with various orders, including the Virtuti Militari.
In 1921, when hostilities ended, the Division returned to its bases - headquarters and most regiments were stationed in Krakow, some other regiments were garrisoned in Tarnów and Wadowice. In the summer of 1939, according to the Polish defensive Plan Zachód, 6 I.D., under General Bernard Mond became part of Operational Group Bielsko of the Army Kraków, which guarded southwest Poland. The Division was placed around Upper Silesian town of Pszczyna, and its forward units were attacked by the Germans in the morning of September 1. Reserves stayed behind in the area of Zator. On September 2, German 5th Panzer Division attacked again, this time around 200 tanks managed to break through Polish lines. Polish troops, in a desperate attack tried to stop the tanks in the open space around the village of Ćwiklice, but were repulsed. On September 4 the Division was ordered to retreat towards Tarnów and the Dunajec river. After reaching the defence line along the Dunajec, the Division was caught up in chaos, which was the result of destruction of the neighboring 21st Mountain Infantry Division. Soldiers of both units, mixed together, managed to break across German lines and retreat east, towards the San river. In mid-September the Division took part in the Battle of Tomaszów Lubelski, during which Polish troops were trying to break to Lwów. After successful skirmishes, the Poles were finally surrounded around Rawa Ruska. On September 20, General Mond decided to surrender.
6th Infantry Division of the People's Army of Poland[]
The 6 Pomeranian Infantry Division (6 DP) was an infantry division of the Polish People's Army.
The formation of the division began on July 5, 1944 in the region of Zhytomyr and the Ukraine. In summer 1944 it was moved to the vicinity of ?. It eventually became a part of First Polish Army.
On January 17, 1945 the division forced the Vistula River and went to Warsaw. In February, it struggled to break Pomeranian, then the Kolobrzeg. On 16 April forced the Oder in the region of Siekierki and fought the fight for the shaft of the Old Oder. As the first major unit of the Polish Army reached 3 May to Elbe, and its soldiers met with troops of the U.S. Ninth Army.
After the war the division was part of the occupying troops. From June 19, 1945 to November 3, it served on the border. In accordance with an order of the Supreme Commander of the CM No. 0305/Org. of November 10, 1945, the division assumed a peace-time status. Its staff stationed since January 1946 in Cracow. In accordance with 0048/Org No. MON command. of June 15, 1957 the division reorganized and changed its name to 6 Pomeranian Airborne Landing Division.
See also[]
The original article can be found at 6th Infantry Division (Poland) and the edit history here.