Defending Silesia and Lesser Poland

Jordanów synagogue in 1939.

https://kolekcjonerski.com.pl/

German assault

Positions of Polish and German forces before the battle.

Lonio17

Polish counterattack

With a risk of a German breakthrough now apparent, General Szylling ordered the Polish 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade into the fray, sending them to block the gap between Jordanów and Rabka. The brigade reached their positions the next day, with Col. Maczek setting up his headquarters in the village of Krzeczów.

Heavy fighting quickly broke out in the hills to the south of Jordanów, which circled the mountain of Wysoka, as the Polish 24^th Motorised Regiment – commanded by Colonel Kazimierz Dworzak – elements of the Border Protection Corps (Korpus Ochrony Pogranicza or KOP) and anti-tank guns, clashed with the German 2^nd Panzer Division.

After an early morning artillery barrage at 5AM, the entire German division launched itself at the Poles, who despite suffering heavy losses, managed to repel the Germans, costing the attackers 30 panzers destroyed in the process. However, due to the sheer weight of numbers and technical advantage held by the Germans, eventually – after three failed assaults – they managed to overcome the fierce Polish defence and secure the Wysoka mountain and village.

Having been unable to hold on to their positions, the Poles conducted a withdrawal with the help of one of their trusty armoured trains, its powerful guns helping to discourage any German attempts to intervene.

Aftermath

Now in control of Wysoka, the Germans poured in munitions and supplies, but their troubles were not over. That night, civilian saboteurs destroyed two oil tanks in the village, with the resulting explosion destroying several tanks of the 2^nd Panzer Division and a number of infantrymen from the 3^rd Mountain Division. All told the Germans lost around 70 tanks and armoured vehicles in the battle, while the Poles only lost a handful. However, the numbers of killed and wounded were high on both sides.

The 10th Cavalry Brigade (Polish: 10. Brygada Kawalerii) was a Polish military unit, the only fully operational Polish motorized infantry unit during the Invasion of Poland of 1939, at the onset of World War II. Commanded by Col. (later General) Stanisław Maczek, it is considered the only Polish World War II military unit not to lose a single battle.

http://ww2incolor.com

Ambushes

In order to ensure the Polish units were able to withdraw with minimal interference, General Szylling ordered the Polish 10^th Cavalry Brigade to conduct a delaying action as they fell back amongst the rivers and mountain ranges. They were able to successful carry out ambushes near Lubień and Sucha Beskidzka, destroying several German tanks. The Poles also hit back from the air, with 6 PZL 23 Karaś bombers from the 24th Recce Escadrille attacking the Germans on the same day, destroying a number of tanks around Jordanów and the village of Podwilko. The Polish 31st Recce Escadrille also managed a similar feat, knocking out several Germans tanks from the German 4^th Light Division on the road between Nowy Targ and Chabówka.

A Polish PZL 23 Karaś bomber being refuelled by groundcrew. These aircraft proved effective against German tanks.

https://ww2aircraft.net/

More ambushes occurred over the next couple of days as the withdrawing Poles successfully harried the advancing German units, foiling their attempts at blitzkrieg and causing more losses, ultimately slowing down German progress to a paltry 10 – 20 kilometres a day – slow for a unit equipped with vehicles. Thanks to these efforts, the Polish 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade remained intact and in good fighting order.

A stamp printed in Poland commemorating the Battle of Jordanow and showing Colonel Stanislaw Maczek and 10th Motorized Cavalry fighting German invaders.

https://fineartamerica.com/

Further reading