Armored armament of the Polish Army: 1933-1937
Armored armament of the Polish Army: 1933-1937
Peaceful service of the Polish armored forces in accordance with special rules is another issue worth discussing in the framework of the general discussion on the preparation of the Polish armed forces for the upcoming war. The less spectacular and repetitive mode of peaceful operation of individual armored battalions has been sidelined by issues such as the design of prototype military equipment or the course of annual experimental exercises. Although not as spectacular, selected elements of the operation of armored weapons provide a lot of important information about the state of these weapons in certain years.
The armored armament of the Polish Army in the 20s underwent several reorganizations and changes made to individual units. The structure of existing branches was clearly influenced by the purchases and own production of Renault FT tanks, which at that time formed the basis of the armored potential of the Republic of Poland. On September 23, 1930, by order of the Minister of War, the Command of Armored Weapons was transformed into the Command of Armored Weapons (DowBrPanc.), which was the body responsible for the management and training of all armored units of the Polish Army.
In the mid-30s, experiments were carried out on the technical equipment of armored weapons. The result of one of them was TK tank car carriers on the chassis of trucks.
The professional units included in this institution received, among other things, the task of conducting research in the field of the development of technology and tactics of the armored forces and preparing new instructions, regulations and manuals. DowBrPanc itself. was the highest authority in the then hierarchy, strictly for armored weapons, but also for motorized units, so his role, in addition to the decisions of the Minister of War and the Chief of the General Staff, was decisive.
After another temporary change in the early 30s, another castle was built in 1933. Instead of the three previously existing armored regiments (Poznan, Zhuravitsa and Modlin), battalions of tanks and armored cars were formed, and the total number of units was increased to six (Poznan, Zhuravitsa, Warsaw, Brest on the Bug, Krakow and Lvov). Separate troops were also stationed in Vilnius and Bydgoszcz, and in Modlin there was a tank and armored car training center.
The reason for the changes made since the beginning of the decade was the arrival of a significant amount of new equipment, taking into account domestic capabilities - high-speed TK tanks, which supplemented the previously dominant low-speed vehicles and a few light tanks. Therefore, on February 25, 1935, the existing battalions of tanks and armored vehicles were converted into armored divisions. The number of units was increased to eight (Poznan, Zhuravitsa, Warsaw, Bzhest-nad-Bugem, Krakow, Lvov, Grodno and Bydgoszcz). Two more close-knit battalions were stationed in Lodz and Lublin, and their expansion was planned for the coming years.
The presented organization lasted the longest, until the outbreak of war, although some changes were made to it. Namely, on April 20, 1937, another tank battalion was formed, the parking lot of which was Lutsk (12th battalion). It was the first Polish armored unit to train soldiers on R35 light tanks purchased from France. Looking at the map, one can see that most of the armored battalions were stationed in the center of the country, which allowed for the transfer of units across each of the threatened borders in a similar period of time.
The new structure also formed the basis of the Polish programs for the expansion of armored capacities, prepared by the General Staff and discussed at the KSUS meeting. The next technical and quantitative leap was expected at the turn of the third and fourth decades (more about it can be found in: "Plan for the expansion of Polish armored weapons 1937-1943", Wojsko i Technika Historia 2/2020). All of the above military units were created in peacetime, their main task was the preparation of subsequent years, the professional training of specialists and the mobilization of forces in danger. In order to maintain the uniformity of training, streamline organizational issues and a more efficient inspection network, on May 1, 1937, three tank groups were created.
Service
One might venture to say that the mid-30s was the period of greatest stabilization of Polish armored weapons. The unification of structures and the gradual increase in the size of the formation could not only give a sense of strength in comparison with other countries, but also, at least for several years, calm the hardware and structural fever. The recent modernization of Vickers tanks - changing the armament of twin-turret tanks, installing twin-turrets with 47-mm guns, or reconstructing the cooling system - could be considered a success, which is difficult to question. time.
It is impossible to ignore the ongoing production of TCS here. After all, machines of this type were considered the best development of the English prototype at that time and an effective means of combat. Polish 7TP tanks began their careers in the army, as was the case with reconnaissance tanks, which were considered a creative development of the English prototype. Finally, the absence of real threats meant that the service in 1933-37 could take on a more stable character. Although as part of CWBrPanc. or BBTechBrPanc. a number of experimental studies were carried out in the field of tactics (the work of armored motorized groups) and technology (the resumption of the wheeled-tracked tank project), they were only an addition to the already well-established service in accordance with existing guidelines, such as those issued in 1932. "General Rules the use of armored weapons”, from 1934 “Rules of the TC of tanks”. Fight”, published in 1935 “Regulations on armored and automobile units”. Part I of the Military Parade and, finally, the key, although not put into official use until 1937, “Rules for armored weapons. Exercises with armored and automotive vehicles.
