British & Commonwealth Orders of Battle

[ Polish Army in the UK and the 1st Polish Corps ] [ 1st Polish Armoured Division ] [ Polish Parachute Bde ] [ Polish Carpathian Bde ] [ Polish Army in the East and the 2nd Polish Corps ]
[ Up ]

 

Polish Parachute Bde

Home
An Introduction
Armies
Campaigns & Battles
The Burma Campaign
UK Book Store

 

Polish flag

                Polish shoulder flashshoulder flash

1 Polish Independent Parachute

Diving Eagle vehicle symbol

Brigade Group

   vehicle symbol
             
          
23-Sep-41 Formed in Scotland as The Polish Parachute Brigade, from 4 (Polish) Cadre Rifle Brigade, following declaration by Gen Sikorski, confirmed by written order 04-Oct-41
     May-42? Redesignated as 1 Polish Independent Parachute Brigade Group
19-May-47 Disbanded in Osnabruck area, Germany
       

Commanders

23-Sep-41 Col S Sosabowski

15-Jun-44 Maj Gen S Sosabowski

27-Dec-44 Lt Col S Jachnik

     Mar-45 Mjr Tonn ( temporary)

13-Apr-45 Col ? A Szczerbo-Rawicz
          

Brigade Troops
Artillery

Antitank Batteries

Airborne Anti-Tank Battery May-42 19-May-47

Light Batteries

Airborne Light Artillery Battery May-42? 19-May-47 Not at Arnhem due to

shortage of gliders
Engineers

Field Companies

Airborne Engineer Company May-42? 19-May-47
Medical

Parachute Medical Company May-42? 19-May-47
Signals

Airborne Signals Company May-42? 19-May-47
ST

Airborne Transport and Supply Company May-42? 19-May-47
                 

Units
1st Polish Parachute Infantry Battalion 23-Sep-41 19-May-47
2nd Polish Parachute Infantry Battalion 23-Sep-41 19-May-47
3rd Polish Parachute Infantry Battalion 23-Sep-41 19-May-47
4th Polish Parachute Infantry Battalion Feb-44? Mar-44? "recently raised" broken

up to reinforce other

battalions in Mar-44
            

Higher formations served under

HQ Polish Forces in Britain 23-Sep-41 Apr-44?

1 British Airborne Corps Apr-44? 10-Aug-44

1 Airborne Division 10-Aug-44 29-Sep-44

1 British Airborne Corps 29-Sep-44 04-Nov-44

1 Airborne Division 04-Nov-44 08-May-45

I British Corps 08-May-45 29-Jun-45

1 Polish Armoured Division 29-Jun-45 19-May-47
          

Theatres

United Kingdom 23-Sep-41 21-Sep-44

Netherlands 21-Sep-44 07-Oct-44

Belgium 07-Oct-44 11-Oct-44

United Kingdom 11-Oct-44 08-May-45

Germany 08-May-45 19-May-47

Belgium 08-May-45 08-May-45

 

Thanks to Mike Blazejack for information regarding the correct vehicle symbol.  Mike maintains a website for a re-enactment group: Headquarters Platoon; 8th Company; 3rd Battalion, 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade.

For books on Poland in World War II click here

 

17 June 2009

 

Contact Steve Rothwell with comments and additional information