Polish Army 1939 - part 3 Artillery

Polish Artillery 1939 

Like most armies in 1939 the Polish used horse transport for 105mm guns 

The artillery equipment at the disposal of the Polish Army was mainly of French, captured Russian, German, Austrian and Czech origin. The Polish also produced licensed pieces in the country. Some armament was of Czechoslovak design, mostly produced under license by domestic armaments factories.  

 Infantry artillery was; 39 light artillery regiments, thirty heavy artillery regiments, eleven horse artillery regiments, two motorized artillery regiments, and ninety-three artillery platoons in infantry regiments. Extra-divisional artillery consisted of eight heavy artillery regiments, ten howitzer and heavy artillery regiments, three mountain artillery batteries and 26 fortress artillery platoons, 14 light artillery regiments, and anti-aircraft artillery. Artillery equipment also formed part of armored vehicles and aircraft, as well as naval armament and coastal defense artillery.

- 75 mm wz. 97 guns - 1,374, attached to light artillery one battery of 4 guns and infantry regiments 
- 75 mm wz. 02/26 guns - 466, attached to horse artillery and infantry regiments one battery of 4 guns (12 were fitted with  rubberized tyres for the horse artillery) 
- 100 mm wz. 14/19 howitzers - 900, attached to light artillery regiments one battery of 4 guns and one or two batteries to infantry regiments, also mounted on the armoured trains, 4 were fitted with rubberized tyres, supplied to the 10th cavalry brigade.
- 105 mm wz. 13 and 29 guns - 254, light regiment artillery pieces, one battery of 4 guns per regiment (wz 13 box trail, wz29 split trail, only one was rubberized and attached to the 10th cavalry brigade)
- 120 mm wz. 98/31 guns - 43, one battery of a heavy artillery regt (the 6th DAC was the only motorised with 12 guns) 
- 155 mm wz. 17 howitzers - 341, one battery in each heavy artillery regt, and one battery  of 3 guns in the Polish armoured div, towed by C4P or Somua MCG 4

- 220 mm wz. 28/32 - 27, 2 guns we’re attached to the armoured division, remainder in the heavy artillery regiments, all were motorized with C7P tractors 
- 65 mm (mountain) guns - 24. All were assigned to the 1st and second mountain brigades

In total, 3,429 guns and mortars were at disposal, some of them were set aside as reserves, and the rest, as a result of mobilization, were formed into; 

30 heavy artillery divisions, for 30 active divisions, numbered from 1 to 30. They had one battery of 105 mm guns and one battery of 155 mm howitzers, the batteries consisted of three-guns.  
From the extra-divisional heavy artillery units, the following were formed:
- 4 independent heavy artillery divisions of 155 mm howitzers
- 3 independent heavy artillery divisions of 120 mm
guns - 8 two-division heavy artillery regiments.
- 3 divisions of the heaviest 220mm artillery. 3 guns per division  
As a result of mobilization, a total of 53 heavy artillery divisions were created, comprising 129 batteries with 456 guns, and 3 dan divisions with 18 mortars. 

In the light artillery, 39 regiments were formed. Each regiment consisted of 3 divisions, 9 batteries. The mobilized light artillery regiments had 1,404 guns and howitzers.
12 independent light artillery divisions had a total of 144 75mm guns, and two divisions were armed with 24 100mm howitzers. 

The Two motorized artillery divisions had 12 75mm guns and four 100mm howitzers, for a total of 184 guns, and the 11th light artillery division had 14 75mm wz. 02/26 guns. 

In addition, 90 infantry regiments had a platoon of 75mm wz. 02/26 guns (2 guns each), for a total of 180 guns. 

In addition to the field artillery, there was fortress artillery, which consisted of two-gun platoons of 75mm wz. 02/26 guns; 26 platoons had a total of 52 guns. 

In total, the field artillery had 1,968 guns. 

For the mountain brigades, three four-gun batteries were organized, using French 65mm mountain guns from the First World War. 

A common photo, sadly only twelve 75mm were fitted with rubber wheels for the horse artillery 

Anti Aircraft guns

The excellent 75mm flak 36

On September 1, 1939, the anti-aircraft artillery had the following number of guns:
- 75 mm wz. 1897 and 1914/1917 anti- aircraft guns - 94 guns (The obsolete French model 1897 guns proved almost useless mounted on wooden platform and frame, with or without wheels).

- 75 mm wz. 22/24 anti-aircraft guns - 14 guns each battery had 4 guns 
- 75 mm wz. 36 and 37 - 52 pcs. Each battery had 4 guns
- 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns- 350 guns. 

In total, we had 510 anti-aircraft guns of various types. The 40mm guns were distributed as follows: infantry divisions and the Warsaw Armored-Motored Brigade; four-gun batteries, cavalry brigades and the 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade; two-gun batteries of 4 guns; A total of 148 guns. 

Home air defense, coastal air defense, anti-aircraft artillery reserve centers, a total of 202 guns.
The total number of 40mm guns distributed according to the above was 350 guns.
Polish-made 75mm anti-aircraft guns, wz. 36 and 37 were distributed as follows: 

- 11th Motorized  - 12 guns,
- 156th and 157th Motorized Batteries - 8 guns,
- 101st, 102nd, 103rd Semi-Fixed Batteries - 12 guns,
- 9th Depot - 4 guns,
- 9th Battery (motorized) - 4 guns
- Anti-aircraft artillery reserve centers No. 1 and 2 - 8 guns,
- Improvised Batteries "F" - Stalowa Wola - 4 guns,
Total 52 guns. 

The distribution of the French 75 mm guns model 1897 was as follows:
- to the capital's air defense system; 42 guns,
- to Kraków's air defense system 16 guns,
- to Łódź's air defense system - 12 guns;
- 111th Depot (Dęblin) - 12 guns;
- Truck-mounted  - 12 75mm wz12/24 guns. 4 guns mounted on the Fiat 621 and 8 on the De Dion-Bouton 1913

According to the above breakdown, there were 94 guns of this pattern in total. In addition, it is worth mentioning the 14 French 75mm model 22/24 guns stationed in the 1st and 2nd naval depots in fixed positions with naval crew. 

The 510 anti-aircraft guns were at disposal, it was unable to meet the challenges facing anti-aircraft defense. 

Polish Army 1939- Part 2 painting guide

 Ww2 Polish Army painting guide 

I have completed the assembly, undercoating and basing of my metal Polish infantry in preparation for painting this month. To kick of this project I am researching the uniforms worn in 1939. 

I have purchased XAN,  Fantassin Miniatures (now Captain miniatures both sculpted by the same about chap 15 years ago under the brand ) and Early War Miniatures for my Polish 1939 army. The artillery will be mixed FAA, Early War miniatures, HAT and First to Fight plastic. The cavalry will be HAT and FAA for the 10th motorised. My existing Hat Plastic Regiment will become a reserves unit.

As always I prepare a painting guide for myself digging through resource sets and having a look at other people’s guides then selecting colors that I think look closer to my needs. 

WZ36 uniform 

In 1936 the Polish army developed two new uniforms a dress WZ36 khaki gaberdine green wool uniform and the WZ36 summer cotton uniform and the third in service was the WZ27, these three were the uniforms for the 1939 invasion. Variation existed for mountain, cavalry, armoured, motorized, pilots and the reserve troops. 

The WZ27 and WZ36 Khaki green uniform had collar patches listed below relating to branch of service with silver lace.

The WZ36 Cotton uniform seemed to have two collar variants seen in photos. One with the branch colors and lace, the other only had the lace patch. It seems the cavalry persisted with the pennon colours on the collar patch though. 

Colour Suggestions 

WZ35 Gaberdine Wool uniform - brown violet , worn by full time officers, NCOs and professional soldiers.

WZ27 mid war uniform - reserve units and mountain troops  

Wz35 Summer uniform - brown violet 60, English uniform 40 or AK British uniform 

Puttees - English uniform or olive green 

Wool leggings - olive green 

Canvas gaiters - khaki grey

Great coat - English uniform, greatcoats had the arm of service stripe on the leading edge of the collar. 

Pack - khaki grey, red leather straps

Blanket - brown violet

Mess tin - brown voilet 

Webbing harness - khaki grey canvas for infantry or red leather for cavalry, chasseurs and rifles

Rifle Ammo pouches - red leather 

Bayonet scabbard - red leather frog, black scabbard

Entrenching tool -  red leather pouch, olive green head, flat brown handle 

WZ28 RKM LMG pouches - khaki grey 

Bread bag - khaki grey 

Gas mask - US field drab  (french metal round model) or Khaki grey satchel bag

WZ 31 Boots-  black lace up ankle boots, some reserve units wore natural brown in 1939

WZ15- French Adrian helmet - olive green ( worn by a majority of the conscript infantry, cavalry and frontier units)

WZ31- Helmet - brown violet, red leather chin strap (issued to infantry and some artillery only) 

WZ17 - Austrian made Stahlhelm - olive green, worn by the 10th Cavalry Division 

WZ36 Kop senior Officers round dress cap, English uniform with service colour band. round silver eagle also worn by chasseur and frontier unit officers and NCOs. 

WZ35 Rogatywka Dress field cap - US olive drab, black visor, cap band in service colour (see chart below or cavalry regiment colour) silver officers lace, silver eagle 

WZ37 Rogatywka soft field cap - English uniform, silver lace officers, NCO is service colour, white stitched eagle  

WZ26 Furażerka forage side cap white metal eagle - English Uniform 

Officer long boots - black 

Officer map case - red leather 

Officer belts - red leather brown infantry,artillery, engineer’s or black if rifles, armour and cavalry. 

Pistol case - red leather or black for rifles and armour 

Rifle - mahogany brown

Rifle metalwork - German grey 

Rifle sling - red leather 

Canteen - metal lid, khaki grey cover 

The cavalry uniform 

It differed with chamois leather reinforced inner leg patch’s in Iraqi sand and British uniform jodpurs, long black boots or short black boots and black leather gaiters and a black sword belt. Scabbard metal. 

Overalls 

One piece khaki grey overalls were used by artillery, armoured cars, tankettes and tanks, black or dark brown leather hip length jackets of the French design along with the French tank helmet. 

Mountain troops

They had the American M1912 style cut jacket in the old cut, vallejo khaki green, along with the cape in the same colour and a mountain helmet in the same colour. 

Motorised 

Motorized 10th division reconnaissance battalion and one rifle regiment had a black waterproof rubberized greatcoat and wore an Austrian stahlhelm helmet.

Ranks 

Shoulder board tape - Silver thread up to corporal and silver and red embroidered tape for Sergeants and above. Officers stars and lace in branch colour with silver tape

Headwear

 Helmet options including the French  Adrian wz28 with or without comb, the wz31 polish helmet and the stahlhelm 1916 Austrian pattern (10th motorized regiment) Wz16 and the podhale, a hardened felt helmet for the 21st and 22nd mountain rifle divisions and 2nd mountain brigade, finally the French Adrian tank helmet with the padded front.

For walking out dress and fatigues caps two options were available the hardened model, based on the rogatywka Mk. 1935, olive khaki green with black peak, the officers version could  have general officers ranks on it, with the cap band in branch colour or regiment colour if cavalry,  and the soft fatigue rogatywka – a square-topped wool peaked cap, both had a silver metal Polish Eagle badge on the front. This was the same khaki colour cloth as the summer field uniform. 

Berets were also used by the armoured elements wore a black Beret with the silver eagle, 

Collar Arm of service distinctions

These were mixed and photos have some being worn with the tab and lace and some just the lace. 

Type                        Collar tab.                            Lace                          Cap band 

Infantry.                   Dark Blue.                           Dark Yellow               Dark  Blue 

Cavalry.                   Dark Blue (pennon colour) Dark Yellow.               Regiment pennon band colour

Frontier.                   Dark Blue.                          Dark Green.                Dark Blue

Rifles.                      Dark Blue.                          Mid Green.                 Dark Blue (mountain division)

Field artillery.          Dark Green.                        Black.                         Dark Green

Heavy Artillery       Dark Green.                        Red.                           Dark Green

Anti Aircraft            Middle Green.                   Yellow.                       Dark Green

Engineers.                Black.                                Carmine.                    Black

Signals.                    Black.                                Light blue.                  Black

Transport                 Sky Blue.                           Crimson.                     Sky blue

Military Police.       Scarlet                                Light Yellow.              Scarlet

Other equipment 

Ammunition boxes - US olive drab 

HMG tripod - US olive drab 

Mortar - olive green 

Saddles and horse equipment - red leather 

Saddle Blanket - light grey 

References 

Polish uniforms