Insurgent Troops

The Infantry of the Greater Poland Army

Marek Rezler

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The 2nd Greater Poland Rifle Division. This unit was formed in Biedrusko by day order No. 61 of Central Command, dated 6 March 1919. Commander: Lieutenant Colonel Kazimierz Grudzielski. From January 1920 - it was the 15th Greater Poland Infantry Division. The 5th Greater Poland Rifle Regiment. The foundation for the regiment was a company formed around 30 December 1918, commanded by Second Lieutenant Paweł Cyms. It consisted of insurgents from Gniezno, Września, Miłosław and Witkowo. The unit participated in the march on Inowrocław and in fighting in the city. After Inowrocław was captured, two Kuyavian Grenadier Regiments and the Nadgoplański Battalion were formed. However, the centre for the formation of the future regiment of the Greater Poland Armies was to be just the 1st Kuyavian Grenadier Regiment. On 16 January 1919, by order of the commander of Military District VIII, the 2nd Grenadier Regiment was incorporated into the first regiment as its second battalion. Both of these battalions and the Nadgoplański Squadron were sworn in in Inowrocław on 16 January 1919, and on 22 January – the Nadgoplański Battalion in Kruszwica. On 1 February 1919, by order of the commander of Military District VIII, the Nadgoplański Battalion became part of the 1st Grenadier Regiment as its third battalion. On 7 February 1919, the 1st Kuyavian Grenadier Regiment was renamed as the 5th Greater Poland Rifle Regiment by order of Central Command, at the same time joining the troops fighting on the Northern Front. From 6 March 1919, the regiment was incorporated into the 2nd Greater Poland Rifle Division. Consecutive commanders of the 5th Greater Poland Rifle Regiment were as follows: Lieutenant Paweł Cyms – until 6 March 1919, Colonel Wacław Przeździecki – 6-23 March 1919 and Major Stanisław Wrzaliński – from 23 March 1919. On 18 December 1919, the regiment was reinforced on the front-line by the 6th Greater Poland Rifle Regiment. In January of the next year, the troop participated in occupying the Pomerania territories granted to Poland by the Treaty of Versailles. On 17 January 1920, it was renamed as the 59th Greater Poland Infantry Regiment. The 6th Greater Poland Rifle Regiment. Formed from the insurgent units of the South-Western Front - poviats: Gostyń, Kościan and Śmigiel. Commander: Lieutenant Bernard Śliwiński. The troops which were part of the “Leszno” Group were combined into the 6th Greater Poland Rifle Regiment by day order No. 61 of Central Command, dated 6 March 1919. On 9 August 1919, in Kościan, the regiment received its own banner. From July till the end of August 1919, the 6th Greater Poland Rifle Regiment remained in reserve, then on 27 August it reinforced the 2nd Greater Poland Rifle Regiment on the front-line. From the beginning of October till 18 December 1919, it was stationed in the region of Żnin. Then a return to the front-line took place, and on 20 January 1920, the regiment entered Bydgoszcz as a result of the Pomerania repossession action. On 17 January 1920, it was renamed as the 60th Greater Poland Infantry Regiment. The 7th Greater Poland Rifle Regiment. This unit was formed from insurgents including groups from: Pniewy, Duszniki, Podrzewie, Kwilcz, Sieraków, Wronki, Lwówek and Opalenica, which subsequently became part of units of the Western group. On 12 February 1919, by order L.dz.232/19 of the Command of Military District I, the 2nd Garrison Battalion was sent from Poznań to the section near Wolsztyn. It was commanded by Second Lieutenant Paweł Hądzlik. In March 1919, the units were used to form the Reserve Regiment of the Western Group. On 15 March 1919, by day order No. 76, Central Command mandated the commander of the Western Group to form the 7th Greater Poland Rifle Regiment; Colonel Michał Milewski gave this name to the existing Reserve Regiment of the Group. Consecutive commanders of the regiment were: Second Lieutenant Kazimierz Szcześniak – from 15 March 1919 and Colonel Gołecki – from 2 June 1919. Until the end of July 1919, the unit fought on the Western Front and on 27 August 1919, it was sent to the Northern Front. By an order of Central Command, dated 10 August 1919, the 7th Greater Poland Rifle Regiment became part of the 1st Greater Poland Rifle Division. At the end of that month, the unit was transferred to form part of the 2nd Division. In January 1920, the unit participated in the Pomerania repossession action. On 17 January 1920, it was renamed as the 61st Greater Poland Infantry Regiment. The 8th Greater Poland Rifle Regiment. The starting unit for the formation of the 8th Greater Poland Rifle Regiment was the Pleszew Battalion commanded by Second Lieutenant Ludwik Bociański. The second regiment battalion originated from the Śrem Battalion. The regiment was established by day order No. 70 issued by Central Command on 15 March 1919. Consecutive commanders: Second Lieutenant Ludwik Bociański and Captain Mieczysław Paluch – until 24 October 1919 and Captain Jan Namysł – from 24 October 1919. While being part of the 2nd Greater Poland Rifle Division, the unit participated in the Pomerania repossession action. On 17 January 1920, it was renamed as the 62nd Greater Poland Infantry Regiment.

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