634:
26:
659:
723:
641:
771:
691:
675:
707:
739:
755:
449:, but also suffered heavy casualties and lost most of its artillery and logistical support. Dispersed units crossed the German lines and joined several different Polish units, some of them formed ad hoc. The biggest group was rallied by the division commander but now numbered only three infantry companies out of an original three regiments. These troops broke through the forests near
445:, on 13 September, the division started an all-out assault on German positions in nearby villages. After heavy fighting, the division broke through the third line of German defences in the villages of Lipiny, Debowiec, Wola Wodyńska, and Oleśnica. It finally broke through the German lines at
795:
The 1st
Legions Infantry Division is to include a total of four Mechanised Brigades. Each of the Division's four Mechanised Brigades comprises four Mechanised Battalions and one Artillery Battalion. The division will be the largest Polish formation and equipped with Polish and
1007:
The co-presence of M1 Abrams and K2 Black
Panther main battle tanks is a departure from the equipment of both the 16th Mechanized Division, which relies on Korean tanks, and the 18th Mechanized Division, which is equipped with M1 Abrams.
251:
The 1st
Legions Infantry Division tracks its origins to the 1919 establishment of the Polish state and was disbanded in 1944. After a 70-years long hyatus, the Division has been revived in the wake of the 2020s Polish rearmament.
378:, the division consisted of three infantry regiments (1st, 5th, and 6th; all garrisoned in Wilno), and other units, such as light and heavy artillery regiments, a company of cyclists, military engineers, and a mounted squadron.
501:
1320:
1211:
1128:
311:
itself (May 7). After the Polish withdrawal, the unit took part in heavy retreat battles and shielded the retreat of the rest of the Polish forces. After several clashes with the
622:
As an organised military formation, the 1st
Legions Infantry Division is also tasked to support the Department for Civil Protection and Crisis Management in case of emergency.
1330:
511:
1335:
1315:
487:
505:
458:
532:
496:
478:
517:
430:. Reinforced by 98th Heavy Artillery Detachment and 61st Light Artillery Detachment, the division successfully repelled a German assault near
328:
633:
1233:
1153:
1278:
324:
1030:
1081:
438:. On 11 September that town was seized by German units and had to be retaken by force during heavy street fighting in the dark.
1325:
909:
824:
613:
563:
474:
1025:
1020:
260:
As one of the most experienced and best equipped Polish divisions, it fought in many of the most notable battles of the
410:, the division became fully mobilized and on 4 September 1939, it made contact with enemy troops in the forests around
1185:
605:
579:
571:
492:
483:
462:
285:
609:
423:
1212:"Biggest Division of the Polish Army with Korean Equipment. General Iwanowski: All as per schedules and budget"
1129:"Biggest Division of the Polish Army with Korean Equipment. General Iwanowski: All As Per Schedules and Budget"
982:
The 1st
Legions Infantry Division does not deploy Soviet equipment. The Mechanized Brigades are equipped with
786:
441:
From there, General
Wincenty Kowalski planned a counter-assault of his division. In what became known as the
220:
1310:
1255:
1099:
446:
359:
327:). On the second day of the Polish offensive, August 16, the division managed to outflank the Bolshevik
336:
118:
601:
407:
363:
343:
and took part in a successful outflanking manoeuvre of the
Bolshevik forces centered on the city of
320:
281:
167:
136:
31:
454:
332:
375:
335:, was attached to the Second Army and took part in the second biggest battle of the war, the
289:
132:
1011:
The formation will also have the
Gladius unmanned aerial reconnaissance and strike systems.
800:
equipment. As of 2023/24 the 1st
Legions Infantry Division consists of the following units:
442:
806:
261:
108:
616:
567:
355:
8:
350:
After that the division was moved to the rear and took part in shielding the border with
284:'s Third Army and under his personal command, although the actual commanding officer was
1154:"Poland creates new army division on eastern border - English Section - polskieradio.pl"
1049:
Lech
Wyszczelski: Wojsko Polskie w latach 1918-1921. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Neriton, 2006
570:
announced that the 1st Legions Infantry Division will be revived as an addition to the
269:
240:
140:
128:
450:
550:
541:
394:
386:
299:
224:
171:
990:
983:
411:
312:
25:
528:
1069:
1052:
Zdzisław Jagiełło: Piechota Wojska Polskiego 1918-1939. Warszawa: Bellona, 2007
921:
586:. The 1DPLeg will be the fifth mechanized division of the Polish Armed Forces.
575:
331:
by a forced march of over 56 kilometres. After that the division, commanded by
1304:
600:
The 1st Legions Infantry Division is tasked to complement the defence of the
418:, but was outnumbered 3 to 1 and ordered to retreat southwards to defend the
431:
566:
decided to revive the unit. On 9 January 2023 Minister of National Defense
403:
382:
228:
957:
812:
590:
366:). After the war, the division was partially demobilized and stationed in
89:
797:
216:
435:
994:
273:
935:
861:
427:
415:
391:
987:
562:
As a reaction to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine of 2022, the Polish
419:
351:
232:
1070:
PAWEŁ PIOTR WIECZORKIEWICZ, WRZESIEŃ 1939 - PRÓBA NOWEGO SPOJRZENIA
1001:
998:
844:
538:
371:
304:
898:
583:
434:, after which it began delaying actions while retreating towards
1082:"1. Dywizja Piechoty Legionów im. Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego"
264:
of 1919 and 1920. Among them was the operation of liberation of
399:
344:
316:
277:
203:
465:. Shortly afterward the division effectively ceased to exist.
319:
River, from where it started the counter-offensive during the
878:
367:
265:
84:
522:
1st Motorized AA Battery – 1st Lieut. Stefan Osostowicz
219:. Formed on February 20, 1919, partially of veterans of the
619:
stated that the formation is to "saturate" eastern Poland.
308:
1186:"Poland Raises New Infantry Division Along Belarus Border"
389:, was partially mobilized in March 1939. As a part of the
1279:"Poland Establishes Marshall Pilsudski Infantry Division"
1044:
Marshal Edward Śmigły-Rydz Rydz and the Defense of Poland
1321:
Military units and formations of Poland in World War II
547:
31st Bicycle company – 1st Lieut. Jerzy Niemcewicz
414:. On 7 September it took part in heavy fighting near
339:. During the battle, the unit formed the core of the
315:, the division broke off and reached the area of the
1331:
Military units and formations disestablished in 1944
1234:"Poland creates new army division on eastern border"
835:
2nd Legions Tank Battalion, in Siemiatycze-Czartajew
292:of spring of 1920, the division formed the core of
1122:
1120:
1336:Military units and formations established in 2023
1316:Military units and formations established in 1919
1302:
929:1st Legions Anti-Aircraft Squadron, in Ostrołęka
457:and on 22 September took part in the successful
1117:
589:The headquarters of the revived 1DPLeg are in
1270:
968:1st Division Training Center, in Czerwony Bór
852:1st Legions Mechanised Battalion, in Brodnica
869:1st Legions Mechanised Battalion, in Ślubowo
790:1st Legions Infantry Division locations 2024
398:it was to shield the northern approaches of
293:
210:
1179:
1177:
1175:
1093:
1091:
965:1st Legions Chemical Battalion, in Brodnica
889:2nd Legions Motorised Battalion, in Grajewo
832:1st Legions Tank Battalion, in Czerwony Bór
510:1st Heavy Artillery Detachment – Maj.
502:Polish 1st Legions Light Artillery Regiment
223:, the unit saw extensive action during the
1160:(in Polish). Polskie Radio. 9 January 2023
962:1st Legions Signal Battalion, in Ciechanów
24:
956:1st Legions Reconnaissance Battalion, in
948:1st Legions Logistics Regiment (forming)
886:1st Legions Motorised Battalion, in Kolno
1172:
1146:
1088:
1031:List of Polish divisions in World War II
993:; the artillery units are equipped with
971:2nd Division Training Center, in Ślubowo
516:1st Battalion of Engineers – Capt.
920:1st Legions Anti-Aircraft Regiment, in
754:
525:Telephone company – Capt. Mika (?)
1303:
1276:
1184:Bisht, Inder Singh (12 January 2023).
1097:
640:
68:Infantry, during WW2 partisan infantry
1183:
770:
658:
544: – 1st Lieut. Stanisław Kasprzyk
385:, the division, commanded by General
325:Battle of Dęblin and Mińsk Mazowiecki
1277:Ciślak, Jarosław (11 January 2023).
1126:
943:Legions Sapper Battalion, in Chełmno
690:
674:
493:Polish 6th Legions Infantry Regiment
484:Polish 5th Legions Infantry Regiment
475:Polish 1st Legions Infantry Regiment
1026:Polish contribution to World War II
1021:Polish army order of battle in 1939
908:1st Legions Anti-Tank Regiment, in
817:1st Command Battalion, in Ciechanów
738:
722:
706:
13:
829:Command Battalion, in Czerwony Bór
468:
307:(April 25), capturing the city of
231:. Regarded by the soldiers of the
14:
1347:
1236:. Polskie Radio - English section
557:
239:, it distinguished itself in the
215:) is a tactical formation of the
30:First commander of the division,
1209:
934:3rd Legions Sapper Regiment, in
769:
753:
737:
721:
705:
689:
673:
657:
639:
632:
1127:Graf, Jędrzej (26 April 2023).
1036:
805:1st Legions Infantry Division "
625:
303:and took part in the battle of
221:I Brigade of the Polish Legions
157:Brig. General Norbert Iwanowski
1248:
1226:
1203:
1074:
1063:
858:3rd Legions Mechanised Brigade
849:Command Battalion, in Brodnica
841:2nd Legions Mechanised Brigade
286:Michał Karaszewicz-Tokarzewski
1:
1326:Polish World War II divisions
926:Command Battery, in Ostrołęka
895:1st Legions Artillery Brigade
875:1st Legions Motorised Brigade
866:Command Battalion, in Ślubowo
402:from the German assault from
207:1st Legions Infantry Division
19:1st Legions Infantry Division
1098:Korsak, Ewa (3 April 2023).
977:
915:Command Company, in Wielbark
821:1st Legions Armoured Brigade
564:Ministry of National Defense
461:against parts of the German
406:. After the outbreak of the
255:
212:1. Dywizja Piechoty Legionów
7:
1014:
940:Command Company, in Chełmno
883:Command Battalion, in Kolno
453:to reach the units of Gen.
360:Central Lithuanian Republic
10:
1352:
595:
337:Battle of the Niemen River
246:
119:March of the First Brigade
903:Command Battery, in Iława
190:
182:
177:
161:
151:
146:
124:
114:
104:
96:
80:
72:
64:
56:
48:
38:
23:
18:
1056:
606:16th Mechanised Division
580:18th Mechanized Division
572:16th Mechanized Division
374:divisional core. In the
381:Before the outbreak of
610:18th Infantry Division
376:Second Polish Republic
294:
211:
1104:www.polska-zbrojna.pl
602:Belarus–Poland border
531:squadron – Maj.
463:8th Infantry Division
1042:Seidner, Stanley S.
787:class=notpageimage|
506:Mieczysław Podlewski
455:Stefan Dąb-Biernacki
333:Stefan Dąb-Biernacki
262:Polish-Bolshevik War
1311:Divisions of Poland
1256:"Plan for Division"
1100:"Plan for Division"
512:Władysław Świderski
364:Żeligowski's Mutiny
988:M1A2 Abrams SEP V3
488:Kazimierz Bąbiński
443:Battle of Kałuszyn
408:Invasion of Poland
358:'s forming of the
270:Battle of Dyneburg
241:Invasion of Poland
168:Edward Rydz-Śmigły
141:Invasion of Poland
32:Edward Rydz-Śmigły
1046:, New York, 1978.
991:main battle tanks
779:
763:
747:
731:
715:
699:
683:
667:
651:
617:Mariusz Błaszczak
568:Mariusz Błaszczak
504: – Lt. Col.
479:Kazimierz Burczak
395:Operational Group
387:Wincenty Kowalski
356:Lucjan Żeligowski
300:Operational Group
225:Polish-Soviet War
198:
197:
183:Unit abbreviation
172:Wincenty Kowalski
1343:
1295:
1294:
1292:
1290:
1274:
1268:
1267:
1265:
1263:
1258:. Polska Zbrojna
1252:
1246:
1245:
1243:
1241:
1230:
1224:
1223:
1221:
1219:
1207:
1201:
1200:
1198:
1196:
1190:The Defense Post
1181:
1170:
1169:
1167:
1165:
1150:
1144:
1143:
1141:
1139:
1124:
1115:
1114:
1112:
1110:
1095:
1086:
1085:
1078:
1072:
1067:
984:K2 Black Panther
777:
773:
772:
761:
757:
756:
745:
741:
740:
729:
725:
724:
713:
709:
708:
697:
693:
692:
681:
677:
676:
665:
661:
660:
647:
643:
642:
636:
614:Defence Minister
537:31st company of
486: – Lt.Col.
459:Battle of Falków
321:Battle of Warsaw
313:1st Cavalry Army
297:
214:
137:Battle of Warsaw
28:
16:
15:
1351:
1350:
1346:
1345:
1344:
1342:
1341:
1340:
1301:
1300:
1299:
1298:
1288:
1286:
1275:
1271:
1261:
1259:
1254:
1253:
1249:
1239:
1237:
1232:
1231:
1227:
1217:
1215:
1210:Graf, Jędrzej.
1208:
1204:
1194:
1192:
1182:
1173:
1163:
1161:
1158:polskieradio.pl
1152:
1151:
1147:
1137:
1135:
1125:
1118:
1108:
1106:
1096:
1089:
1080:
1079:
1075:
1068:
1064:
1059:
1039:
1017:
980:
951:Command Company
807:Józef Piłsudski
793:
792:
791:
789:
783:
782:
781:
780:
774:
766:
765:
764:
762:1 Leg. Air-def.
758:
750:
749:
748:
742:
734:
733:
732:
726:
718:
717:
716:
710:
702:
701:
700:
694:
686:
685:
684:
678:
670:
669:
668:
662:
654:
653:
652:
644:
628:
598:
582:, stationed in
574:, stationed in
560:
533:Bronisław Kulik
529:Organic cavalry
497:Stanisław Engel
471:
469:Order Of Battle
451:Radzyń Podlaski
258:
249:
201:
163:
153:
109:Józef Piłsudski
88:
43:
34:
12:
11:
5:
1349:
1339:
1338:
1333:
1328:
1323:
1318:
1313:
1297:
1296:
1269:
1247:
1225:
1202:
1171:
1145:
1116:
1087:
1073:
1061:
1060:
1058:
1055:
1054:
1053:
1050:
1047:
1038:
1035:
1034:
1033:
1028:
1023:
1016:
1013:
979:
976:
975:
974:
973:
972:
969:
966:
963:
960:
954:
953:
952:
946:
945:
944:
941:
932:
931:
930:
927:
918:
917:
916:
906:
905:
904:
892:
891:
890:
887:
884:
872:
871:
870:
867:
855:
854:
853:
850:
838:
837:
836:
833:
830:
818:
785:
784:
776:
775:
768:
767:
760:
759:
752:
751:
744:
743:
736:
735:
728:
727:
720:
719:
712:
711:
704:
703:
696:
695:
688:
687:
680:
679:
672:
671:
664:
663:
656:
655:
649:1 Legions Div.
646:
645:
638:
637:
631:
630:
629:
627:
624:
604:alongside the
597:
594:
576:Warmia-Masuria
559:
558:2022 - present
556:
555:
554:
548:
545:
535:
526:
523:
520:
518:Tadeusz Wejtko
514:
508:
499:
490:
481:
470:
467:
290:Kiev offensive
288:). During the
257:
254:
248:
245:
199:
196:
195:
192:
188:
187:
184:
180:
179:
175:
174:
165:
159:
158:
155:
149:
148:
144:
143:
133:Kiev offensive
126:
122:
121:
116:
112:
111:
106:
102:
101:
98:
94:
93:
92:(2022-present)
82:
78:
77:
76:ca. 16,000 men
74:
70:
69:
66:
62:
61:
58:
54:
53:
50:
46:
45:
40:
36:
35:
29:
21:
20:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1348:
1337:
1334:
1332:
1329:
1327:
1324:
1322:
1319:
1317:
1314:
1312:
1309:
1308:
1306:
1284:
1283:defence24.com
1280:
1273:
1257:
1251:
1235:
1229:
1213:
1206:
1191:
1187:
1180:
1178:
1176:
1159:
1155:
1149:
1134:
1133:defence24.com
1130:
1123:
1121:
1105:
1101:
1094:
1092:
1083:
1077:
1071:
1066:
1062:
1051:
1048:
1045:
1041:
1040:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1018:
1012:
1009:
1005:
1003:
1000:
996:
992:
989:
985:
970:
967:
964:
961:
959:
955:
950:
949:
947:
942:
939:
938:
937:
933:
928:
925:
924:
923:
919:
914:
913:
911:
907:
902:
901:
900:
896:
893:
888:
885:
882:
881:
880:
876:
873:
868:
865:
864:
863:
859:
856:
851:
848:
847:
846:
842:
839:
834:
831:
828:
827:
826:
822:
819:
816:
815:
814:
810:
808:
803:
802:
801:
799:
788:
778:3 Leg. Sapper
666:1 Leg. Armor.
650:
635:
623:
620:
618:
615:
611:
607:
603:
593:
592:
587:
585:
581:
577:
573:
569:
565:
552:
549:
546:
543:
540:
536:
534:
530:
527:
524:
521:
519:
515:
513:
509:
507:
503:
500:
498:
495: – Col.
494:
491:
489:
485:
482:
480:
477: – Col.
476:
473:
472:
466:
464:
460:
456:
452:
448:
444:
439:
437:
433:
429:
425:
422:line between
421:
417:
413:
409:
405:
401:
397:
396:
393:
388:
384:
379:
377:
373:
369:
365:
361:
357:
353:
348:
346:
342:
338:
334:
330:
326:
322:
318:
314:
310:
306:
302:
301:
296:
291:
287:
283:
279:
275:
271:
267:
263:
253:
244:
242:
238:
237:Iron Division
234:
230:
226:
222:
218:
213:
208:
205:
200:Military unit
193:
189:
185:
181:
176:
173:
169:
166:
160:
156:
150:
145:
142:
138:
134:
130:
127:
123:
120:
117:
113:
110:
107:
103:
100:Iron Division
99:
95:
91:
86:
83:
79:
75:
71:
67:
63:
59:
55:
51:
47:
41:
37:
33:
27:
22:
17:
1287:. Retrieved
1282:
1272:
1260:. Retrieved
1250:
1238:. Retrieved
1228:
1216:. Retrieved
1205:
1193:. Retrieved
1189:
1162:. Retrieved
1157:
1148:
1136:. Retrieved
1132:
1107:. Retrieved
1103:
1076:
1065:
1043:
1037:Bibliography
1010:
1006:
981:
894:
874:
857:
840:
825:Czerwony Bór
820:
804:
798:South Korean
794:
698:3 Leg. Mech.
682:2 Leg. Mech.
648:
626:Organisation
621:
599:
588:
561:
553:and services
440:
404:East Prussia
390:
383:World War II
380:
349:
340:
298:
280:(as part of
259:
250:
236:
229:World War II
206:
202:
44:2023-present
1285:(in Polish)
1262:7 September
1240:7 September
1218:7 September
1214:. defence24
746:1 Anti-tank
730:1 Leg. Art.
714:1 Leg. Mot.
412:Długosiodło
341:Wilno Group
329:Mozyr Group
295:Rydz-Śmigły
282:Rydz-Śmigły
217:Polish Army
191:Parent Unit
125:Engagements
97:Nickname(s)
87:(1919-1944)
81:Garrison/HQ
60:Land forces
1305:Categories
995:K9 Thunder
912:(forming)
432:Brańszczyk
424:Kamieńczyk
274:Daugavpils
164:commanders
147:Commanders
1002:howitzers
978:Equipment
958:Białystok
922:Ostrołęka
813:Ciechanów
612:. Polish
591:Ciechanów
420:Bug River
352:Lithuania
256:1919-1944
233:Wehrmacht
154:commander
90:Ciechanów
42:1919-1944
1015:See also
999:AHS Krab
910:Wielbark
845:Brodnica
608:and the
539:taczanka
436:Kałuszyn
372:en cadre
305:Zhytomyr
178:Insignia
129:Dyneburg
1289:26 June
1195:19 June
1164:24 June
1138:19 June
1109:19 June
936:Chełmno
862:Ślubowo
596:Mission
584:Masovia
447:Jagodno
428:Wyszków
416:Pułtusk
392:Wyszków
354:during
247:History
235:as the
194:Wyszków
186:1 DPLeg
162:Notable
152:Current
49:Country
551:tabors
400:Warsaw
370:as an
345:Grodno
317:Wieprz
278:Latvia
204:Polish
105:Patron
57:Branch
52:Poland
39:Active
1057:Notes
899:Iława
897:, in
879:Kolno
877:, in
860:, in
843:, in
823:, in
811:, in
368:Wilno
362:(see
323:(see
266:Wilno
115:March
85:Wilno
1291:2023
1264:2023
1242:2023
1220:2023
1197:2023
1166:2023
1140:2023
1111:2023
997:and
986:and
578:and
426:and
309:Kiev
268:and
227:and
73:Size
65:Type
542:HMG
272:in
1307::
1281:.
1188:.
1174:^
1156:.
1131:.
1119:^
1102:.
1090:^
1004:.
347:.
276:,
243:.
170:,
139:,
135:,
131:,
1293:.
1266:.
1244:.
1222:.
1199:.
1168:.
1142:.
1113:.
1084:.
809:"
209:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.