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1st Polish Armoured Regiment ((ポーランド語:1 Pułk Pancerny)) of the 1st Polish Armoured Division ((ポーランド語:1 Dywizja Pancerna)) is a short history〔1ST Polish Armoured Regiment IN THE YEARS 1939-1946〕 of the 1st Armoured Regiment's origins in France till the end of World War II in Germany. ==France 1939== The 1st Polish Armoured Regiment of the 1st Polish Armoured Division has its origins in France. After the Russian Army invaded from the East, with the German Army invading from the West, the Polish government went into exile and the Polish Army in units, and as individuals, made their way to France to regroup. Some Polish soldiers came from Poland through enemy territory. Others took a roundabout route through neighbouring countries by any means available, some after being interned for a period of time. They all made their way to the camp at Coëtquidan in Brittany. This camp became the centre of the Polish Army in exile. Additional Poles came from the large émigré community in France and Belgium to enlist. On 20 November 1939, the Armoured Group was formed under the command of Major L. Furs-Żyrkiewicz. It was made up mostly of soldiers from the former armoured units of Poland. The 1st Tank Battalion was formed from these former armoured units on 2 December 1939 and left the camp at Coëtquidan for the village of Campenéac. On this day, it became an independent unit. Its name would change (65th Tank Battalion,〔LEXICON OF WORLD WAR II ARMED FORCES VOL. 1 - POLISH ARMOURED FORCES 1939-1945 ORGANIZATION AND ORDER OF BATTLE, page 40〕 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Armoured Regiment), but it could trace its roots to this date as its birth. Living conditions at both camps were poor. The soldiers' morale was low because of the harsh winter conditions, lack of equipment, and poor living quarters. During February 1940, the Battalion left Campenéac for St. Cécile-les-Vignes. Here the 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade was formed from all the armoured units. The Battalion fell under the Brigade in the chain of command. Soon afterwards, the first Renault FT tanks arrived, and training with these vintage and obsolete World War I tanks began. The German offensive on 10 May caused the Battalion to accelerate its preparations and training for battle. On 27 May 1940, under the command of Major Stanisław Gliński, it moved to Versailles, where it received modern tanks and equipment. Also on this day, the 1st Company was transferred to airfield protection duties and the Finnish Company took its place. The Battalion had only ten days to learn how to operate the new Renault R35 and R39 tanks. On 8 June 1940, the Battalion was deployed to Champagne, where the 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade, under the command of General Maczek, was located. The situation at the front, as a result of the German offensive on 10 June, was hopeless. The Germans had infiltrated behind the French lines. Champagne and Burgundy were being surrounded from the west. The units in this pocket were being systematically destroyed from the air. The Battalion, from the day it arrived in Champagne on 12 June 1940, sustained heavy losses, due to German air attacks. Enemy aircraft broke the Battalion’s first attack attempt. In the chaos that ensued, the Battalion retreated to the south while under constant assault from the air. Lt-Col. Tadeusz Majewski took command of the Battalion on 15 June 1940. The Battalion was made the Brigade’s spearhead for the breakout from the pocket created by the enemy. The attack began on the night of 16 June 1940 with the 4th Motorized Division in the town of Montbard in Burgandy. As a result of heavy losses inflicted during the night, the enemy withdrew from Montbard. This victory was short-lived, however, for the Battalion was out of ammunition and fuel. The next day, orders were issued for the crews to destroy their tanks, to prevent them falling into enemy hands, and disband The men were ordered to make their way south as best they could. The temporary disbandment of the Battalion ended its part in the French campaign. The fates of these men were varied. The French people often risked their lives to help. Some made it across the German lines and reached French ports, in time to leave on the last ships leaving for England. Some were taken prisoner. Some were interned in the Spanish concentration camp of Miranda del Ebro after crossing the Spanish border. Others made it to North Africa, where they were interned and forced to work on the construction of the Trans-Sahara Railroad. The majority, however, after overcoming many obstacles (lack of money, lack of papers, lack of transportation etc.), in some cases taking years (some made their way through Russia to Japan to the U.S./Canada/South America to England; literally travelling around the world), made it back to their units regrouping in Britain. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「1st Armoured Regiment (Poland)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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