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• The sharp deterioration in the situation on the Northern Front (...)
• Both groups left for their respective areas (...)
• The battle for Łabiszyn was an interesting example (...)
• Taking into account the strong resistance of the Germans (...)
• The second group did not take part in the direct attack. (...)

The second group did not take part in the direct attack. Entrenched on the eastern outskirts of the Wolwark village, it only got involved in the fighting with the Germans near Wolwark, while the artillery, commanded by Chylewski supported the attack of Śliwiński’s group, without, however, even having any detailed information about how the situation was developing.

Losses: 26 dead and 29 wounded insurgents.

The second battle of Szubin, which ended with success, was undoubtedly one of the more properly planned and conducted operations. However, its greatest deficiencies were the almost “chronic” errors of the insurgents; activities: poor communication, the lack of any proper synchronisation of the activities of the respective groups, and the covering was not always effective. Elements of centralised command were present - however, not always effective.

The last battle of the insurgent offensive conducted on 11–12 January 1919 was the battle for Złotniki Kujawskie. The units commanded by Second Lieutenant Paweł Cyms, which were stationed in Inowrocław, were - in accordance with an order given by Lieutenant Colonel Kazimierz Grudzielski entrusted with the task of capturing the town.

The insurgent units were concentrated in Jaksice, situated south-east of Złotniki. The forces were divided as follows:

First strike group (commanders: Stanisław Janowski and Lieutenant Stefan Meysner): 345 people armed, among other things, with one light machine gun.

Task: to march through Mierzwin and Krężoły and to occupy positions west of Złotniki Kujawskie between the Rucewo-Złotniki and Krężoły-Złotniki roads. On 11 January, at 14.00 - Attack Złotniki and ensure that the enemy occupiers of the town all get involved in the fighting.

Second strike group (commander: Mieczysław Słabęcki): about 290 soldiers with three heavy machine guns.

Task: to reach Gniewków, marching through Liskowo, Broniewo and Tupadły. Once there, to destroy the railway tracks of the line running to Bydgoszcz and cut off the connection with the city. Attack Złotniki from the north on 11 January, at 14.00. Furthermore, combat outposts were located in Tuczno, Jaksice and Niszczewice.

The German crew was composed of:

– an infantry company (about 150 people),

– a machine gun unit (10 heavy and one light machine guns),

– a half-battery of field artillery (2 cannons).

These forces were commanded by Second Lieutenant Eichenberg.

From the very beginning, the battle for Złotniki Kujawskie went wrong - not in accordance with the agreed plan. The second strike group, near Broniewo, was discovered by a German patrol which managed to warn the rest of the Germans, and the Poles were perfectly aware of this fact. M. Słabęcki protected himself from the Bydgoszcz side with two units. The expected sounds of battle, which were supposed to mean that the first group had started their attack were not heard at 2.00 p.m., so, 40 minutes after this deadline the decision was taken to adopt a line formation and attack Złotniki. Despite the devotion and the skilful action taken by the insurgents on the battlefield, the attack was repulsed by the Germans.

The first strike group had gone off track during its march and as a result of this, it had occupied the agreed positions as late as 3.00 p.m. Instead of attacking Złotniki only from the west, the insurgents stretched out the front excessively to the north-west and as a consequence of this, during the attack, they moved to the rear of the right flank of the second group which was already fighting for the town. The presence of mind of one of the insurgents (Józef Wichliński from Tuczno) prevented a tragedy. The dairy and the railway warehouse were seized and soon control was taken of the entire town, except for the railway station building.

Meanwhile, Second Lieutenant Cyms arrived in Złotniki and started to organise the attack on the railway station, but the well organised and skilfully commanded defence repulsed the successive attacks of the insurgents. It was as late as midnight of 11 to 12 January, during concurrent negotiations, that the final attack was launched and at 1.30 a.m. Złotniki was finally liberated.

Polish acquisitions: 4 German officers and 80 soldiers were taken into captivity, 2 cannons 1 mine launcher (mortar) and 10 heavy machine guns were captured. Losses: 3 dead and 31 wounded insurgents.