Thread: Polish OOB
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Old October 15th, 2015, 06:29 PM
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Default Re: Polish OOB

I am getting this from a book "Samodzielna Brygada Strzelców Karpackich", published by Mireki, various authors, great majority being veterans of that unit (it is released in 2014, but work origins from 1951, not sure what release number is that).

Witold Ptasznik writes the story of AT battalion of that unit
Two interesting quotes happen:
"By SBSK order of 16th June 1941, an AT battalion was organized (...) It had 12 officers and 160 men. Its main equipment were french 25mm Hotchkiss guns and 37mm Puteaux guns" - I wonder if he actually means old SA18 or newer variants of those. Regardless, by June 1941 25mm AT guns are still mentioned in organization.
Interestingly, presence of these guns is not mentioned in Tobruk. Unit equipment is simply described as "various", 37mm Bofors are also mentioned several times, what indicates "our" guns. I wonder where do these come from since book is silent on that matter.

And then, about that Bofors:
"On 11th December 1941, unit was sent back to Tobruk. On 12th December 1941, battalion gave up all 37mm polish (this word used) guns to the British and received in exchange 10 2 pounder AT artillery pieces" - So 37mm Bofors should be in use till 12/1941 if anyone wondered.

As far as remember there were no other polish units active in combat by that date (except Uhlan Regiment which was fully armoured), so these weapons could not serve in other formations.