1st Polish Armoured Division
The Polish 1st Armoured Division (1 Dywizja Pancerna) was formed in February 1942 at Duns in Scotland it was commanded by General Stanislaw Maczek and at its peak numbered approximately 16,000 soldiers.
The Division was formed as part of the I Polish Corps, which guarded approximately 200 kilometres of British coast in 1940-1941. In the UK, later fought in France, the Low Countries and Germany
By the end of July 1944, the 1st Armoured had been transferred to Normandy, In Operation Totalize it twice suffered serious casualties as a result of "friendly fire" from Allied aircraft, but achieved a victory against the Wehrmacht in the battles for Mont Ormel] and the town of Chambois. This series of offensive and defensive operations came to be known as the Battle of Falaise, in which a large number of German army and SS divisions were trapped in the Falaise pocket and subsequently destroyed
Maczek's division had the crucial role of closing the pocket at the escape route of the trapped German divisions, hence the fighting was desperate and the 2nd Polish Armoured Regiment, 24th Polish Lancers and 10th Dragoons, supported by the 8th and 9th Infantry Battalions, took the brunt of German attacks by units attempting to break free from the pocket. Surrounded and running out of ammunition, they withstood incessant attacks from multiple fleeing panzer divisions for 48 hours until they were relieved
The Polish 1st Armoured Division (1 Dywizja Pancerna) was formed in February 1942 at Duns in Scotland it was commanded by General Stanislaw Maczek and at its peak numbered approximately 16,000 soldiers.
The Division was formed as part of the I Polish Corps, which guarded approximately 200 kilometres of British coast in 1940-1941. In the UK, later fought in France, the Low Countries and Germany
By the end of July 1944, the 1st Armoured had been transferred to Normandy, In Operation Totalize it twice suffered serious casualties as a result of "friendly fire" from Allied aircraft, but achieved a victory against the Wehrmacht in the battles for Mont Ormel] and the town of Chambois. This series of offensive and defensive operations came to be known as the Battle of Falaise, in which a large number of German army and SS divisions were trapped in the Falaise pocket and subsequently destroyed
Maczek's division had the crucial role of closing the pocket at the escape route of the trapped German divisions, hence the fighting was desperate and the 2nd Polish Armoured Regiment, 24th Polish Lancers and 10th Dragoons, supported by the 8th and 9th Infantry Battalions, took the brunt of German attacks by units attempting to break free from the pocket. Surrounded and running out of ammunition, they withstood incessant attacks from multiple fleeing panzer divisions for 48 hours until they were relieved
Weight (g) | 20.00 |
---|---|
Restricted Product? | No |
Affiliation | Polish |
Service | Army |
Insignia Fastener | Sew On |
Insignia Type | Patch |
Insignia Use | Divisional |