Raid on Fraustadt

Part of the Invasion of Poland

Date

2 September 1939

Location

Fraustadt, Province of Silesia, Germany

Result

Successful Polish raid

Geyersdorf briefly occupied
Large number of German munitions captured

Belligerents

Poland

Germany

Commanders and leaders

Waclaw Wiecierzynski

Edmund Lesisz

Unknown

Strength

55th Poznan Infantry Regiment

Unknown border guard and garrison

Casualties and losses

Unknown

Successful Polish raid

The Raid on Fraustadt (Polish: Wypad na Wschowę) was a military raid, carried out by the Polish Army on September 2, 1939, second day of the Invasion of Poland. Polish forces attacked Wehrmacht positions in and around the town of Fraustadt (present-day Wschowa), in the Province of Silesia, Free State of Prussia.

In the night of September 1/2, 1939, at app. 1 a.m., General Roman Abraham, who commanded Wielkopolska Cavalry Brigade, ordered a platoon of military cyclists (see Bicycle infantry), stationed in Krzywin, to come to Leszno. The cyclists, under Colonel Zbigniew Baranski, were told to get ready for an action.

In the morning of September 2, observation planes of Polish Airforce checked German positions around Fraustadt. At the same time, a company of bicycle-riding Polish scouts patrolled forests along the nearby border. At 2:30 p.m., General Abraham issued an order to carry out a raid on Fraustadt. According to his directive, Polish forces were to repel enemy units and shell the town. The raid was to be carried out by 55th. Poznan Infantry Regiment, stationed in Leszno. Colonel Waclaw Wiecierzynski, who commanded this unit, named Captain Edmund Lesisz leader of the raid.

The group which took part in the attack consisted of 300 soldiers and seven officers, with a platoon of military vehicles, a platoon of heavy machine guns and a platoon of artillery under Captain Ludwik Snitko. They were supported by a platoon of uhlans in the north, and a squadron of TKS tankettes, plus a platoon of military cyclists in the south. All three units communicated with each other via cyclists and mounted couriers.

In the afternoon of September 2, at about 4 p.m., the units headed towards the border. Buses were provided for the infantry, while artillery, with horse carts, reached the border after the infantry. Captain Edmund Lesisz ordered Colonel Wladyslaw Konwinski of 2nd Platoon to attack a Border Guard (Grenzschutz) post, which blocked the road towards the village of Geyersdorf (Dębowa Łąka). After a short exchange of fire, the Germans retreated, and Poles captured the post, together with large amount of weaponry, which was taken to the barracks at Leszno.

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Wikipedia