There are "myths" regarding the Polish Campaign and "perpetuated by sloppy scholarship", as S. Zaloga wrote. One, that truly makes me angry is that Polish army was so backward they fought tanks with cavalry using lances and sabres. Although Poland had 11 cavalry brigades and its doctrine emphasized them as elite units, other armies of that time (including German and Soviet) also extensively used horse drawn transport or cavalry. Polish cavalry (equipped with small arms, MGs, and light artillery like the Bofors 37 mm antitank gun - very effective against early war tanks) never charged German tanks or entrenched infantry or artillery directly but usually acted as mobile infantry. The fictional Polish cavalry charge against German tanks were actually reported only once by the Italian press and used by nazi propaganda. On September 1st, in so-called "Polish Corridor", the elements of Polish 18th Uhlans Regiment attacked a German infantry battalion and delayed the German attack. After the successful attack the cavalry received machine gun fire from camouflaged German armoured personnel carriers stationed nearby and were forced to retreat with some casualties. The same day the German and Italian war correspondents were brought to the battlefield. They were shown the battlefield, the corpses of Polish cavalrymen and their horses, as well as German tanks that arrived to the place after the battle. One of the Italian correspondents sent home an article, in which he described the bravery and heroism of Polish soldiers, who charged German tanks with sabres and lances. Although such a charge did not happen and there were no tanks used during the combat, the myth was used by German propaganda during the war. In post-war Poland the myth was still used by Soviet propaganda as an example of stupidity of old Polish regime. By the way, as I've read somewhere, that one of the last major cavalary actions of WW2 was actually taken by the British colonial cavalry units of the Burma Frontier Force who charged the Japanese machine guns at Toungoo in 1942. Do you know something more about it?
Thank you for sharing that story. I'm very well aware that the myth of Poles charging tanks with lances is just that...a myth, and that the Polish cavalry used their horses as transport, not armor. The Polish Army actually did a very creditable job against the Germans, as did their air force. I don't know about the Toungoo charge, but the biggest and last major charge of the war was by the Italian Savoia Cavalry on the Eastern Front, during the drive on Stalingrad. They hit the Soviets from the side and tore them up. There's a photograph of it in the Time-Life volume on WW2. Cavalry also got a workout in Syria, East Africa, China, and even the Philippines. Sadly, in the latter campaign, the Americans turned their mounts to food.
To be upfront the media and historians, have done the Polish a disservice with their coverage. When most history programs mention the start of the war and the invasion of Poland you can almost always get the following like they are all singing from the same songsheet. Germans invaded Poland, Poland's airforce destroyed on the ground, Polish equipment so antiquated they attacked armour with cavalry. Poland surrended after x weeks - little or no mention of the Soviets from the east or the fact that the Poles inflicted heavy casualties on the Germans. Invaded ill equipped/ untrained Poland battle over in weeks. Listen to a documentary of the start of World War 2, like auto pilot.
Account by a chap who claims to have participated in the last Polish Cavalry Charge: http://www.polishnews.com/fulltext/history/2001/history4.shtml Sounds convincing that he was there as it runs very much alongside a Zaloga description I have. Just a bit more 'boy's own adventure' in tone.
To be upfront the media and historians, have done the Polish a disservice with their coverage. When most history programs mention the start of the war and the invasion of Poland you can almost always get the following like they are all singing from the same songsheet. Germans invaded Poland, Poland's airforce destroyed on the ground, Polish equipment so antiquated they attacked armour with cavalry. Poland surrended after x weeks - little or no mention of the Soviets from the east or the fact that the Poles inflicted heavy casualties on the Germans. Invaded ill equipped/ untrained Poland battle over in weeks. Listen to a documentary of the start of World War 2, like auto pilot. I agree. You most probably hear it in recently released documentaries on Discovery, Viasat History etc.etc.
