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under 2nd Lt. Bohdan Jeżewski to counter-attack towards the village of
Grandzicze, directly to the north of the town. The tanks drove through the city's streets and pushed the Russian cavalry out. After that the Polish tanks assumed defensive positions in a cemetery located right outside city limits. Later that day a second wave of Russian forces arrived, having routed two reserve squadrons of Polish cavalry operating to the east of Grodno. However, when the Russian 10th Cavalry Division charged towards the rail road circling the town from the east, they were fired upon by tanks of the 1st company, still loaded on flatcars and operating as an improvised
650:
146:
662:
fighting condition. Two were down due to mechanical failures and had to be towed by other machines, two additional tanks were damaged, but with no loss of life. The tank unit was accompanied by 9 members of tank crews separated from other units and 25 soldiers of a sentry battalion who got separated from their commanding officer. The column started moving slowly towards friendly positions, with
Russians trying to assault it from the sides in the narrow streets of the city centre.
658:
defending since noon. As the platoon did not have communication with other units, it was not informed of the general retreat across the river. In the evening
Russian artillery came into range and started shelling the Polish position from the distance. Most of the town was already in Russian hands and around 18:00 the Cossacks of the 2nd Cavalry Brigade assaulted the isolated Polish position from the back, through the narrow streets of down-town Grodno.
688:
old
Russian fort No. 5 was successful and the Russians retreated towards the river, chased by Polish tanks and infantry. This temporary success did not however force the Russians out of the close side of the river and in the following days Hayk Bzhishkyan's 3rd Cavalry Corps crossed the river further north and restarted its march south-westwards, along the Grodno-
45:
608:, the surrounding fortifications could still be of some use to the defenders. However, General Mokrzecki charged with organising the defence of the area did not issue any orders to the newly arrived 9th Infantry Division and did not prepare the defence of the city. His mistakes could not be corrected by his superior, General
683:
was sent to the battlefield. It was to attack north, along the western bank of the river, and eliminate the
Russian bridgeheads. By the time the Polish assault started, the Russians already were well-entrenched. Although initially the Polish brigade managed to push the Russian forces back to the line
687:
The following day the Polish tanks withdrew further south-west and took part in a skirmish around the village of Wielka
Olszanka, some 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from the town, again using part of the tanks as an improvised armoured train. The assault on Russian positions manning the Hill 177 and an
629:
Despite the earlier intelligence reports, the
Russians attacked already in the early hours of the following day. The Russian attack broke through the Polish infantry after 8 hours of heavy fighting. Gen. Mokrzecki, having committed all his infantry reserves to the fight, ordered the 2nd tank platoon
657:
After the successful retreat to the south-western bank of the river, only the 3rd tank platoon of 2nd company and some isolated Polish infantry forces were left in the city. The company successfully sortied towards the village of
Grandzicze north of Grodno, but returned to the cemetery it had been
637:
Despite this initial success, the village of Stanisławów (at the north-eastern outskirts of the city) had to be abandoned soon afterwards, as the
Russian 2nd and 3rd Cavalry Brigades gained entry to the city further west, near the suburb of Dziewiatówka. General Mokrzecki panicked, and ordered all
661:
Realising he had been cut off from friendly forces, 2nd Lt. Jeżewski ordered his forces to abandon the cemetery and break through towards the road bridge across the Neman. Despite heavy enemy fire, the tank platoon was still operational and did not lose any tanks, though only one was still in
665:
To help with the break-through, the 1st platoon, 1st company under Lt. Glowacki was ordered to cross the bridge once again and head towards the city centre. It did not find the isolated Polish unit and retreated back across the river. Envoys were also dispatched on foot to look for the lost
603:
along the Neman. In the area of Grodno two Polish divisions broke contact with the enemy and successfully withdrew to a 50 kilometre line of dilapidated fortifications surrounding the city. Additional forces were on their way from Wilno. While the forts had been destroyed in 1915 during
642:. The approaching Russians however were not able to capture the bridges as both were blown up by Polish engineers around 19:30 hours, by then already under enemy fire. The loss of the train station and the bridges forced trains with additional Polish reinforcements from
666:
detachment and eventually found the 3rd tank platoon. After two hours of constant fighting, the unit reached the last intact bridge across the Neman, at that time already set on fire. Only two tanks managed to cross the burning bridge, the rest had to be abandoned.
512:, hardly any were front-line troops. Instead, the Polish defences were manned by sentry guards, mobilised railway workers, students of a local NCO school and remnants of various units defeated near Wilno a couple of days before. Regular units included elements of
620:
intercepted a
Russian report claiming that the 3rd Cavalry Corps driving towards Grodno was exhausted and that its horses were in need of rest. The report was sent to Polish units in the area, and made them believe an assault on the city was highly unlikely.
674:
Despite losing the bridges, the Russian forces crossed the river overnight in several locations to the north of Grodno. To reinforce the defence of the south-western bank of Neman the XVIII Infantry Brigade (part of
734:
Several post-war authors called the Polish defence of Grodno on 19 July "mediocre at best", and argued that the officers suffered from a "psychosis of disaster and retreat". Indeed on 23 July 1920, Gen.
241:
560:
Cavalry Brigades and numerous infantry detachments travelling on horse-drawn carts. In the later part of the battle the Russian side was reinforced with additional forces, including the
707:
In his memoir, Hayk Bzhishkyan recalled that the fights for Grodno cost him "500 killed and wounded, 400 horses and seven days of priceless time". Polish losses remain unknown.
500:
The Polish forces during the battle included an improvised group of battle-ready forces and second-echelon troops, with the most valuable unit being a single battalion of the
696:
for repairs. The 1st company remained on the front and shared the fate of the XVIII Brigade, that eventually retreated towards Warsaw and took part in the fighting along the
523:
later noted in his memoirs, that "Grodno, called a fortress to praise military ears, is called a fortress only in our and Soviet books, where a place could be called a
234:
692:
railway. The Polish force fought numerous delaying battles, but in the end had to retreat to Sokółka. The 2nd company was then withdrawn from the front and sent to
616:
as he was stranded in an isolated village following his staff car's malfunction and lost contact with his troops for two days. Furthermore, on 18 July the Polish
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136:
1195:
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227:
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Although the town had been fortified by Russians in the 19th century, the forts were in disrepair and did not provide much advantage to the defenders.
576:, the Polish armies retreated westwards from central Belarus and Ukraine. Although the Bolshevik forces failed to surround or destroy the bulk of the
638:
Polish troops withdrawn from the eastern part of the town back to the city centre, to the vicinity of the train station and the bridges across
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78:
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173:
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488:(modern Hrodna, Belarus), the town was captured by Russian forces, despite repeated counter-attacks by Polish infantry, tanks and
727:
lines. The defence proved equally unsuccessful and it was not until mid-August when the Poles could stop the Russian Army in the
293:
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509:
339:
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of 19th century Russian forts west of the city, the attack ultimately failed. The day's fighting resulted in a stalemate.
649:
580:, most Polish units were in dire need of fresh reinforcements. However, following the successful retreat from the line of
368:
177:
553:
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513:
1180:
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1140:
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tanks in total). Infantry forces consisted of roughly 3000 men at arms. While officially they were all part of the
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584:, the Polish commanders believed the situation in the northern sector of the front was under control.
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The battle ended in a defeat for the Polish forces. The line of defence running along the Neman and
1019:
Before Enigma Was Broken: Polish Radio Intelligence during the War with Bolshevik Russia, 1918–1920
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599:(modern Vilnius) on 14 July, the town was to be the axis of a new defence line, running from
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Zanim złamano Enigmę. Polski radiowywiad podczas wojny z bolszewicką Rosją 1918–1920
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to be diverted elsewhere, which further complicated the situation of the defenders.
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took part in the assault. However, in later stages of the battle the entire
484:. In the effect of a three-day-long struggle for the control of the city of
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had to be abandoned and the Polish forces attempted to withdraw and defend
643:
581:
634:. The Russian force was forced to retreat after suffering heavy losses.
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968:
Davies, N., 1972, White Eagle, Red Star, London: Macdonald & Co,
485:
71:
219:
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223:
1071:] (in Polish). Vol. 2. Warsaw: Volumen. p. 318.
50:
Grodno as seen from across the road bridge, rebuilt in 1934
544:
The Russian forces assaulting the city were composed of
192:
elements of 9th Infantry Division and 1st Tank Regiment
882:
880:
587:
Grodno was crucial to both sides as a crossing of the
548:'s 3rd Cavalry Corps. Initially on 19 July only the
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852:
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556:joined the struggle, as well as 1st, 2nd and 3rd
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743:was relieved of command and replaced with Gen.
30:
1021:] (in Polish). Warsaw: Rytm. p. 546.
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832:
830:
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826:
824:
822:
820:
818:
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537:could come from a couple of broken guns and a
480:took place on 19 and 20 July 1920, during the
1048:] (in Polish). Warsaw: BGW. p. 318.
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806:
804:
802:
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796:
235:
8:
541:could have but a couple of blown-up forts".
1133:"The Defense of Grodno. July 17 – 20, 1920"
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27:
1139:(5). www.tankhistory.com. Archived from
786:
784:
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338:
273:
7:
1131:Witold Ławrynowicz (April 1, 2002).
1097:] (in Polish). Warsaw: Bellona.
998:] (in Polish). Warsaw: Bellona.
992:Piechota Wojska Polskiego 1918-1939
653:Downtown Grodno on a 1920 postcard
14:
595:. Furthermore, after the loss of
1176:Battles of the Polish–Soviet War
612:, the commanding officer of the
214:500 killed, 400 horses wounded
144:
129:
44:
1042:Wojna 1920: dramat Piłsudskiego
886:Wyszczelski (1999), pp. 235–293
593:Saint Petersburg–Warsaw Railway
591:and a major rail hub along the
16:Battle in the Polish-Soviet War
1196:Western Belorussia (1918–1939)
1116:(in Polish). Warsaw: Bellona.
1046:War of 1920; Piłsudski's drama
1:
572:Following the failure of the
1063:Bohdan Skaradziński (1993).
681:Aleksander Narbutt-Łuczyński
529:even if it has no railroad,
1201:Military history of Belarus
399:Dęblin and Mińsk Mazowiecki
1217:
936:Wyszczelski (2008), p. 544
927:Wyszczelski (2008), p. 528
909:Wyszczelski (2008), p. 201
18:
1112:Lech Wyszczelski (2008).
284:Soviet westward offensive
261:
213:
208:
196:
183:
158:
121:
54:
43:
35:
1036:Mieczysław Pruszyński;
1013:Grzegorz Nowik (2004).
778:Pruszyński, pp. 157–159
533:have no barbed wire, a
1069:Polish years 1919–1920
1065:Polskie lata 1919–1920
996:Polish Army's Infantry
654:
535:hurricane-like barrage
478:First Battle of Grodno
159:Commanders and leaders
677:9th Infantry Division
652:
554:10th Cavalry Division
550:15th Cavalry Division
510:9th Infantry Division
209:Casualties and losses
950:Skaradziński, p. 142
918:Skaradziński, p. 139
856:Skaradziński, p. 141
514:13th Uhlans Regiment
174:A. Narbutt-Łuczyński
19:For other uses, see
990:Zdzisław Jagiełło.
739:, commander of the
562:12th Rifle Division
504:(two companies, 43
178:Stanislaw Jackowski
90: /
1143:on August 11, 2014
874:Nowik, pp. 543–546
737:Gustaw Zygadłowicz
655:
610:Gustaw Zygadłowicz
1181:History of Grodno
1166:Conflicts in 1920
1123:978-83-11-11249-0
1078:978-83-85218-47-0
1028:978-83-7399-099-9
1005:978-83-11-10206-4
974:978-0-7126-0694-3
614:Polish First Army
502:1st Tank Regiment
482:Polish-Soviet War
471:
470:
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253:Polish–Soviet War
218:
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189:3rd Cavalry Corps
117:
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94:53.667°N 23.833°E
62:19 — 20 July 1920
38:Polish-Soviet War
1208:
1191:July 1920 events
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1137:Tanks E-Magazine
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1087:Lech Wyszczelski
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702:Battle of Warsaw
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31:Battle of Grodno
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21:Battle of Grodno
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1186:1920 in Belarus
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546:Hayk Bzhishkyan
521:Józef Piłsudski
498:
496:Opposing forces
490:armoured trains
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294:Bereza Kartuska
268:List of battles
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165:Hayk Bzhishkyan
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1171:1920 in Poland
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1038:Jerzy Giedroyć
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113:Soviet victory
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99:53.667; 23.833
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679:) under Col.
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618:Cipher Bureau
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526:place d'armes
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1145:. Retrieved
1141:the original
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1113:
1094:
1090:
1068:
1064:
1045:
1041:
1018:
1014:
995:
991:
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518:
499:
477:
475:
459:Niemen River
383:
314:
289:1st Vilnius
137:Russian SFSR
122:Belligerents
36:Part of the
842:Ławrynowicz
700:during the
640:Neman River
606:World War I
589:Neman River
578:Polish Army
309:2nd Vilnius
97: /
1160:Categories
1147:2012-05-07
1091:Kijów 1920
983:References
349:Daugavpils
321:Sieliszcze
1095:Kiev 1920
751:Citations
745:Jan Romer
725:Bug River
439:Białystok
374:Wołodarka
1089:(1999).
1040:(1995).
790:Jagiełło
741:1st Army
644:Podlasie
582:Berezina
539:fortress
454:Dytiatyn
434:Zadwórze
409:Radzymin
404:Nasielsk
394:Głębokie
389:Boryspol
379:Bystrzyk
369:Berezina
359:Koziatyn
354:Latyczów
326:Berezina
204:ca. 3000
197:Strength
67:Location
717:Szczara
711:Outcome
690:Sokółka
670:20 July
625:19 July
568:Prelude
444:Komarów
85:23°50′E
82:53°40′N
1120:
1101:
1075:
1052:
1025:
1002:
972:
486:Grodno
449:Kobryń
419:Warsaw
384:Grodno
152:Poland
149:
134:
110:Result
72:Grodno
1093:[
1067:[
1044:[
1017:[
994:[
721:Narew
698:Narew
597:Wilno
558:Kuban
506:FT-17
424:Cyców
414:Ossów
331:Byteń
315:Minsk
304:Pińsk
1118:ISBN
1099:ISBN
1073:ISBN
1050:ISBN
1023:ISBN
1000:ISBN
970:ISBN
723:and
694:Łódź
601:Lida
476:The
429:Lwów
340:1920
299:Lida
275:1919
59:Date
1162::
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891:^
879:^
861:^
847:^
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783:^
759:^
747:.
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243:e
236:t
229:v
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