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The Polish 1st Cavalry Division (Polish: ''1 Dywizja Jazdy'', later ''1 Dywizja Kawalerii'') was a tactical unit of the Polish Army between the World Wars. Formed in 1919, partially of veterans of the Polish Legions, the unit saw extensive action during the Polish-Bolshevik War. ==History== The unit was formed in 1919, compromising of six regiments, each of those with a distinct own history and made up of World War I veterans who had served in the Austrian, French, German and Russian armies. As such, the division was made up from a distinct variety of soldiers with different equipment and training. On top of this, its soldiers had fought during the first world war in opposing armies. The 1st Cavalry Division was in this fact a prime example of the new Polish Army, which was composed in a very similar way of soldiers with completely different militaristic background but the common goal of defending their newly reestablished country.〔''Warsaw 1920 – Lenin's failed conquest of Europe'', Chapter II: "Playing Soldiers", Page 20-21〕 The division took part in the operation which resulted in the battle of Koziatyn and the capture of Kiev in late April and early May 1920, then under the command of Jan Romer. After this, the unit fought in the battle of Wołodarka, where it faced the Russian ''Konarmia'', led by Semyon Budyonny, who had served as a corporal under Aleksander Karnicki, now the 1st Cavalry Divisions commander, in the Imperial Russian Army. The division managed to stop a Russian breakthrough in this battle on 29 May, despite being outnumbered six to one.〔''Warsaw 1920 – Lenin's failed conquest of Europe'', Chapter III: ''Grand Designs'', Page 45-46〕 However, this success could not permanently stop the advance of the Russian forces towards the Polish rear and the division had to retreat. The division fought the ''Konarmia'' again in early June, around Koziatyn, before the Russian cavalry was called to attack Kiev. In another engagement between those two cavalry forces on 10 June, between Zhitomir and Koziatyn, the ''Konarmia's'' advance was again halted but the need for more troops on the northern front forced the Poles to retreat eventually.〔''Warsaw 1920 – Lenin's failed conquest of Europe'', Chapter III: ''Grand Designs'', Page 48〕 Upon Piłsudski's order, cavalry from the northern frontline was moved south in the beginning of July, to enforce the 1st Cavalry Division in an attempt to decisively defeat the ''Konarmia'', which was seen as the major threat on the southern front for the Polish Army. This expanded force was put under the command of General Kazimierz Raszewski. Meanwhile, Budyonny's forces advanced and took Równe on 2 July.〔''Warsaw 1920 – Lenin's failed conquest of Europe'', Chapter III: ''Grand Designs'', Page 49〕 The ''Konarmia'' managed to advance as far as Brody by early August, when the 1st Cavalry Division, together with a Cavalry unit under General Kazimierz Sawicki, was ordered to counterattack, but had to shortly after withdraw to the north due to the worsening situation on the northern frontline.〔''Warsaw 1920 – Lenin's failed conquest of Europe'', Chapter III: ''Grand Designs'', Page 63〕 At the battle of Komarów on 31 August 1921, when the division completely defeated the Russian 1st Cavalry Army, it was commanded by Juliusz Rómmel.〔(Polish Cavalry, 1939 )〕 The 1st Cavalry Division was severely reorganised in 1924, as were the other Polish cavalry divisions. The previously separate mounted rifle regiments were integrated in the four cavalry divisions. The division was, alongside the 3rd and 4th Cavalry Division, disbanded in 1929 and 1930 upon order of Pilsudski, who had come to the conclusion that cavalry was outdated. Only the 2nd Division in Warsaw remained in existence as a back-up force for to counter a possible coup-attempt.〔(The Interwar History of the Polish Cavalry – The 1929 reorganisation )〕 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 Cavalry Division (Poland)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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