Polish 30th Infantry Division
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30th Polesie Infantry Division (30. Poleska Dywizja Piechoty), was a unit of the Polish Army in the interbellum period. It was stationed in Kobryn, as well as other towns of the Polesie Voivodeship - Brzesc nad Bugiem and Pinsk. In the Polish September Campaign the Division, under General Leopold Cehak, was part of the Operational Group “Piotrkow” of the Lodz Army.
The 30th was the only Division of the Polish Army, which took its defensive positions near pre-1939 Polish-German border as early as in March 1939. It was carried by trains and placed southwest of Piotrkow Trybunalski along the Warta river. Soon before German attack on Poland, it was reinforced with the 41st Company of Tanks. Also, a few hours before the war, the Division was reinforced again, this time by two armored trains - nr. 52 “Baszta” and nr. 53 “Smialy”.
Facing the Poles were two German divisions - 18th I.D. and 19th I.D. On September 2, 1939, the Wehrmacht broke through Polish lines and crossed the Warta near Dzialoszyn, street fights took place in the very town. On the same day in the evening, the Germans organized a general attack, forcing the Poles to withdraw towards its main defence line, along the Widawka river. On September 4 and 5, 30th I.D. repelled attacks of the German XI Corps near Szczercow. However, facing encirclement, it had to withdraw, fighting near Slupia. Ordered to get to Warsaw, it set off on Sept. 10, but despite initial successes, the plan failed. On Sept. 13, remains of the Division entered the fortress of Modlin, fighting there until capitulation on Sept. 29.
