PIBWL presents:

Polish Armoured Units of 1939

Ordre de Bataille - Order of Battle

and miscellaneous

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	© Michal Derela, 1998	Updated: 11. 09. 2006 - improved

The 1^st and the 2^nd Light Tank Battalions

(Batalion czołgów lekkich)

49 x 7TP light tanks (single turret, 37mm gun):

Detailed composition:
- HQ: HQ troop with motorcycle messengers; special platoon (traffic regulation squad with 4 LMG's and pioneer squad); signals platoon (radio squad, telephone patrol, airforce liaison patrol); AA platoon (4 AAMG's); medical patrol; quartermaster service.
All: 1 tank, 3 cars, 3 radio vans, 1 telephone equipment van, 3 vans, 1 truck, 4 pick-up cars, ambulance, 14 motorcycles, 4 AAMG's; 8 officers, 36 NCO's, 61 privates.
- Tank company (3x): HQ troop, 3 combat platoons with repair patrols, supply squad.
All: 16 tanks, 1 field car, 2 wz.34 halftracks, 4 motorcycles, 3 fuel trailers, field kitchen; 4 officers, 30 NCO's, 49 privates.
- Maintenance company: technical platoon, supply platoon (2 HMG's), supplies and reserve crews.
All: 1 car, 25 trucks, 2 workshop cars, 4 tankers, 3 C7P recovery tractors with trailers, 3 fuel trailers, field kitchen, generator trailer, 2 HMG's; 2 officers, 29 NCO's, 77 privates.
Personnel: 462 (including 22 officers)

The Polish Army had only two battalions of 7TP light tanks. Both were initially assigned to the Reserve Army "Prussia", and took part in combat.

The location on 1 September 1939 - map.
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Detailed composition:
- HQ troop: HQ troop with messengers; signals platoon (telephone patrol and air liaison patrol); AA platoon (4 AAMG's); medical patrol; quartermaster service.
All: 3 cars, 1 radio van, 4 telephone cable cars, 4 pick-up cars, ambulance, 12 motorcycles, field kitchen, 4 AAMG's; 4 officers, 33 NCO's, 63 privates.
- Tank company (3x): HQ troop, 4 combat platoons, technical and supply squad.
All: 13 tanks, 1 field car, 4 trucks, 3 fuel trailers, 5 motorcycles, field kitchen; 5 officers, 18 NCO's, 34 privates.
- Maintenance company: technical platoon, supply platoon (2 HMG's), supplies and reserve crews.
All: 6 reserve tanks, 1 car, 29 trucks, 1 workshop car (in fact: 3), 4 C7P recovery tractors with 3 trailers, 2 motorcycles, crane trailer, 12 fuel trailers, field kitchen, 2 HMG's; 3 officers, 59 NCO's, 61 privates.
Personnel: 397 (incl. 22 officers) - in fact: 475

Note: the equipment of the 21st battalion was partially non-typical. It had 5 field cars Laffly (4x4, not known model), 2 French workshop trucks Renault and Latil (not known model), 22 obsolete trucks 3t Berliet CBA (4x2) and some modern trucks 2t Praga RV (6x4) and Chevrolet (4x2).

The newly formed 21st Light Tank Battalion was organised in French pattern, and was in Polish C-in-C reserve. It was not entirely organised when the war broke out and, unfortunately, was not used in combat. By the C-in-C orders it was withdrawn to Romania.

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Armoured Unit (or Battalion)

(Dywizjon pancerny)

Polish name: "dywizjon", not to confuse it with a division (Polish: "dywizja"), was a Cavalry name of a battalion level unit (like German: "Abteilung"). Like all Polish wartime units, these units were newly mobilized in August 1939 and should not be confused with pre-war peacetime armoured battalions (batalion pancerny). These armoured units were reconnaissance ones, assigned to Cavalry Brigades.

8 armoured cars wz.34 or wz.29 and 13 tankettes TK or TKS.

* some sources do not mention reserve tankettes, and count 6 tankettes in platoon.

Detailed composition:
- HQ: HQ troop with messengers; signals squad (radio patrol and air liaison patrol); traffic regulation squad (2 LMG's); pioneer squad; quartermaster service.
All: 1 armoured car, 2 cars, 2 radio vans, 2 vans, ambulance, 1 truck, 8 motorcycles; 3 officers, 20 NCO's, 27 privates.
- Reconnaissance tank squadron: HQ troop; radio patrol and air liaison patrol; 2 combat platoons, supply squad.
All: 13 tankettes, 1 car, 1 radio van, 2 trucks with trailers, fuel trailer, 5 motorcycles, field kitchen; 3 officers, 21 NCO's, 29 privates.
- Armoured car squadron: HQ troop; radio patrol and air liaison patrol; 2 combat platoons, supply squad.
All: 7 armoured cars, 1 car, 1 radio van, 4 trucks, fuel trailer, 5 motorcycles, field kitchen; 3 officers, 17 NCO's, 25 privates.
- Maintenance squadron: technical platoon, supply platoon, supplies and reserve crews.
All: 9 trucks, 1 workshop car, 1 tractor (wz.34?), 1 motorcycle, 1 tank transporter truck, 2 tankers, 3 fuel trailers, field kitchen; 1 officer, 11 NCO's, 31 privates.
Personnel: 192 (incl. 10 officers)

All units were equipped with armoured cars wz.34; except the 11th, which had armoured cars wz.29 "Ursus". Battalions nos.: 11, 51, 71, 81 and 91 were equipped with tankettes TK (TK-3), the rest - with tankettes TKS. Battalions: 71st and 81st, apart from tankettes TK, also had 4 tankettes TKS armed with 20mm gun.

Here are numbers of particular battalions, assigned to Cavalry Brigades (BK, Brygada Kawalerii). The names of Cavalry Brigades were taken after regions of Poland.

The location on 1 September 1939 - map.
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13 tankettes TK or TKS

Detailed composition:
- HQ: HQ troop with messengers; signals squad (radio patrol and air liaison patrol); traffic regulation squad (2 LMG's); pioneer squad; quartermaster service.
All: 1 tankette, 1 field car, 2 radio vans, 1 van, 4 motorcycles; 1 officer, 7 NCO's, 21 privates.
- Reconnaissance tank platoon (2x): 13 tankettes, 1 motorcycle, 1 trailer (?); 1 officer, 7 NCO's, 7 privates.
- Maintenance platoon: technical squad, supply squad, supplies and reserve crews.
All: 5 trucks, 1 workshop car, 1 motorcycle, 1 tank transporter truck, 1 tanker, 2 fuel trailers, field kitchen; 1 officer, 13 NCO's, 18 privates.
Personnel: 91 (incl. 4 officers)

15 independent reconnaissance tank companies were divided among some Armies. In the Armies, they were assigned to some Infantry Divisions or other units (a list below).
 The companies' numbers were: 31 (Army "Poznań"), 32, 41, 42 (all: Army "Lodz"), 51, 52, 61 (all: Army "Kraków"), 62, 63 (both Army "Modlin"), 71, 72 (both Army "Poznań"), 81 (Army "Pomorze"), 82 (Army "Poznań"), 91 and 92 (both Army "Lodz").
 Companies nos: 41, 42, 51, 52, 71, 72, 81, 82, 91 and 92 were equipped with tankettes TK (TK-3), the rest - with tankettes TKS (all MG-armed).

Two similar reconnaissance tank companies were assigned to the motorized brigades. The 101st company (9 tankettes TK and 4 TKS with 20mm guns) was assigned to the 10.BK, the 11th company (tankettes TKS, 2 with 20mm guns) - to the WBP-M. They had less auxuiliary equipment, and a personnel of 3 officers and 50 soldiers. In WBP-M, both platoons of the 11th company were distributed between two motorized regiments (this company had no commanding tankette).
 Each of these brigades had also its organic reconnaissance tank squadron in the Brigade's reconnaissance battalion. This squadron also had 13 tankettes and a similar organization (in WBP-M: 1 filed car, 1 radio van, 4 motorcycle combination, 1 motorcycle solo, 3 trucks, 1 field kitchen; 3 officers, 52 soldiers). The squadron of the 10.BK was equipped with 9 tankettes TKF and 4 TKS with 20mm guns, the squadron of the WBP-M - with TKS tankettes, 2 with 20mm guns.

Independent reconnaissance tank companies were initially assigned to the following units:

The location on 1 September 1939 - map.
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16 tanks Vickers E (10 single-turret, gun armed, and 6 twin-turret, MG-armed)

- official composition: 16 tanks, 1 car, 8 trucks, 3 halftrack cars and 9 motorcycles;
Personnel: 114 (incl. 4 officers).

Detailed composition of the 12th company:
- HQ troop: 1 car, 1 radio van, 3 motorcycles (1x combination, 2x solo); 1 officer, 13 soldiers.
- Tank platoon 3x: 1 motorcycle (combination), 1 halftrack car; 1 officer, 22 soldiers.
- Maintenance squad: 6 medium and 2 light trucks, 1 motorcycle (combination), field kitchen; 29 soldiers.
Personnel: 111

There were two light tank companies equipped with Vickers E light tanks, both assigned to Polish motorized brigades. The 121st light tank company was assigned to the 10th (motorized) Cavalry Brigade, while the 12th light tank company was assigned to the Warsaw Armoured-Motorized Brigade. Both were used in combat (see: Vickers E page).

The location on 1 September 1939 - map.
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15 tanks Renault FT-17

Detailed composition:
- HQ: HQ troop with messengers, signals platoon, medical platoon.
All: 1 car, 3 motorcycles; 1 officer, 2 NCO's, 10 privates.
- Tank platoon 3x: 5 tanks, 1 motorcycle; 1 officer, 5 NCO's, 7 privates.
- Maintenance platoon: sections: workshop, transport, supply and reserve crews.
All: 5 trucks, 1 tanker, 1 motorcycle, 2 fuel trailers, field kitchen; 1 officer, 17 NCO's, 21 privates.
Personnel: 91 (incl. 5 officers)

There were three Renault FT-17 companies, nos: 111, 112 and 113. Their combat use was very limited since the tanks were very obsolete and slow. The latter two companies were fighting in defence of the Citadel in Brzesc (see on a page Renault FT-17).

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There was not any system of tanks' names initially. But since the first Polish-built tank was named: 7TP, the next tank designs were designated in a similar way. "7TP" was supposed to mean: "7-Ton, Polish", despite a weight of 7TP was more than 9 ton in fact. Another tank prototypes were: 4TP, 9TP and 10TP, the projects were 14TP, 20TP and 25TP.

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- See more of Polish and other formations at World War II Armed Forces Orders of Battle and Organizations page by Dr. Leo Niehorster.

Main source:
1. Rajmund Szubański: "Polska broń pancerna 1939"; Warsaw 1989
2. Wacław Zaleski: "W Warszawskiej Brygadzie Pancerno-Motorowej 1939", Warsaw 1988.

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Text copyright to Michal Derela.