6th Infantry Division (Poland)

6th Infantry Division (Poland)

Polish 6th Infantry Division (Polish: 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.