Polish 11th Infantry Division
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11th Carpathian Infantry Division (Polish 11 Karpacka Dywizja Piechoty), was a tactical unit of the Polish Army in the interbellum period, which took part in the Polish September Campaign. Its headquarters were located in Stanislawow, with some regiments stationed in nearby locations, such as Stryj and Kolomyja. It consisted of these regiments:
- 48th Kresy Rifle Regiment, stationed in Stanislawow, commanded by Colonel Walenty Nowak,
- 49th Hutsul Rifle Regiment, stationed in Kolomyja,
- 53rd Kresy Rifle Regiment, stationed in Stryj,
- 11th Carpathian Light Artillery Regiment, stationed in Stanislawow,
- 11th Heavy Artillery Regiment,
- 11th Sapper Battalion,
- 11th Motor Battery of Antiaircraft Artillery,
- squadron of cavalry, made up of soldiers of Border Defence Corps from Zaleszczyki.
[edit] Polish September Campaign
The Division, under Colonel Bronislaw Prugar-Ketling, was part of the Krakow Army as a rear unit. It was supposed to concentrate in the area of Zawiercie, to cover activities of the neighboring units - Polish 7th Infantry Division and the Slask Operational Group. However, original plans had been changed, because of the Luftwaffe bombing of Polish rail connections.
On September 3 and 4, parts of the Division left train near Bochnia and was ordered to protect the line of the Dunajec river. Lacking artillery, antiaircraft and field hospital (which had been stuck in Rzeszow), the unit entered the battle immediately, but German pressure was too hard. On September 7, the Division began retreat towards the Wisloka and from there - eastwards, towards Przemysl. There, on September 11 and 12, it was engaged in bloody fighting with the Germans. On September 17, the Division fought in the Janow Forest, halting advance of German 7th I.D. and 57 I.D. Remnants of the unit, numbered at no more than 1000 men, managed to break into besieged Lwow, where it capitulated.
