The Battle of Kock was the final battle in the invasion of Poland at the beginning of World War II in Europe. It took place from 2 to 5 October 1939, near the town of Kock in Poland.Zaloga, S.J., 2002, Poland 1939, Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd., The Independent Operational Group Polesie, led by General Franciszek Kleeberg, fought the German XIV Motorized Corps, which was led by General Gustav Anton von Wietersheim.
Pre-battle context
Although Polish forces had formed a coherent defensive strategy, rapid German and Soviet advances led to the collapse of the Polish Army's organization. Poland also suffered from a lack of trained officers, leading to many units failing to fully mobilize before the German invasion. Units stationed in Northern Poland, particularly near East Prussia, suffered heavy losses and were forced to retreat south and southeast, in hopes of regrouping and establishing positions along the Vistula and San rivers.
Other units attempted to withdraw towards areas east of the Vistula, such as Lublin and Sandomierz. The rapid German advance, however, often disrupted communications and caused such retreats to be chaotic and fragmented. By the time the Polish forces reached Lublin, their numbers were significantly diminished, limiting their ability to offer effective resistance. Meanwhile, German forces advanced beyond the Vistula, moving in the direction of towns such as Zamość. To the east, Soviet forces had entered Polish territory on September 17, occupying cities such as Volodymyr-Volynskyi.
To the south, armies stationed around cities such as Kraków and Małopolska (lesser Poland) were defeated by the Wehrmacht Army Group South before being able to cross the San River, thus preventing any coordinated defense in the region. During these events, Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Armed Forces during the campaign, while General Franciszek Kleeberg, who commanded Army Area IX and later organized the Independent Operational Group Polesie, was responsible for the defense of the eastern front between Pińsk and Brześć.
Group organization On September 8, 1939, General Kleeberg received orders from Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły to organize a division of infantry from the depot division, along with organizing a defensive line from Brześć to Pińsk. While his forces were well-trained, they lacked heavy equipment as they had previously been dispatched to the front-line.
+ Independent Operational Group Polesie under General Franciszek Kleeberg Unit Polish name Commander Composition 60th Infantry Division 60 Dywizja Piechoty "Kobryń" Colonel Adam Epler Seven battalions of infantry, an artillery unit, one anti-tank battery Drohiczyn Poleski Group Grupa Drohiczyn Poleski Lieutenant Colonel Kazimierz Gorzkowski Three battalions of infantry, an anti-tank unit Jasiołda Group Grupa Jasiołda One infantry battalion, one machine-gun battalion, one anti-tank company, one unarmed labour battalion Brześć Fortress Group Grupa Forteczna Brześć General Konstanty Plisowski Three infantry battalions, one engineer battalion, two FT-17 tank companies, two armoured trains, an artillery group Riverine Flotilla Flotylla Rzeczna Several dozen small river motor boats, monitors and artillery ships Eight anti-aircraft batteries
Battle of Brześć Litewski and Kobryń
After breaking through the Polish line in the Battle of Wizna, the German XIX Army Corps under General Heinz Guderian started rapidly advancing south. The corps, composed of the 3rd Panzer Division, the 10th Panzer Division, and the 20th Motorized Infantry Division with the 2nd Motorized Division in reserve, was ordered to capture Brest Fortress and then strike further south towards Kowel and Galicia. The purpose of this attack was to cut Poland in two and paralyze the defenses east of the Bug River.
Guderian's forces advanced almost unopposed until September 14, 1939, when they were stopped in the area of the fortress and Kobryn by a four-battalion-strong improvised force under General Konstanty Plisowski. In the three-day-long battle, known as the Battle of Brześć Litewski, both sides suffered significant casualties. Although the Poles finally withdrew from the area on September 17, 1939, the Germans did not start the pursuit soon enough to rout the retreating Polish Army. The simultaneous attack on Kobryn (sometimes referred to as the Battle of Kobryń) was inconclusive, with the Polish improvised 'Kobryń' Infantry Division under Colonel Adam Epler withdrawing unopposed.
The Podlaska Cavalry Brigade soon joined both Polish units from Kobryń and Brześć. The unit, commanded by General Ludwik Kmicic-Skrzyński, successfully evaded encirclement by withdrawing through the Białowieża Forest. General Kmicic-Skrzyński, accompanied by his chief of staff, Major Julian Szychiewicz, traveled to Vawkavysk, where he established telephone contact with General Kleeberg. The two agreed to join their forces and move southwards towards the Romanian Bridgehead.
The 16th Motorized Infantry Regiment, with artillery and Luftwaffe support, began an attack on the positions of the 83rd Polish Infantry Regiment on September 18, 1939, capturing several Polish positions. The Polish counter-attack, beginning at 17:00, regained some territory. General Kleeberg began withdrawing his forces to Romania and Hungary. Over the next two days, Polish forces were ordered to concentrate north of Kowel. While on the march, a formation of the Polesie Group was attacked by saboteurs and from the air, with loose groups of Polish soldiers joined the group.
After a battle with Red Army forces, General Kleeberg decided to march to the relief of Warsaw on September 22, 1939. He first planned to capture crossing points on the Bug River. The concentration area would be near Włodawa. The formations, organized by Colonel Brzoza-Brzezina, fought only against the Germans. They could fight the Red Army, but only if the Poles were attacked first. Between September 22, 1939, to September 25, 1939, elements of the Polesie Group were attacked by German aircraft during the march to Włodawa. On the last day of these attacks, General Kleeberg received information that unknown Polish units had captured Włodawa. Most personnel were soldiers from destroyed Polish formations who had not been captured by the Germans and were seeking commanders and formations that were still fighting. Kleeberg's staff began organizing the defense of a bridgehead in Włodawa.
Elsewhere, between September 17, 1939, and September 26, 1939, formations of the Polesie Group crossed the Bug River and entered an area near Włodawa. After receiving information about the surrender of Warsaw, General Kleeberg sought the opinions of his commanders, informing them of the political and military situation. He also asked General Zygmunt Podhorski, the commander of the 'Zaza' cavalry division (comprising two brigades of cavalry ['Pils' and 'Edward'], two infantry battalions ['Olek' and 'Wilk'] and divisional artillery), to join him. General Podhorski initially agreed but decided to first visit Stawy near Dęblin, the location of the main Polish Army arsenal. They would then move to the Holy Cross Mountains and engage in guerrilla warfare.
Kleeberg decided to re-organize his command. The 'Kobryń' division would not get in the way of re-supply and would be renamed the 60th Infantry Division. The 'Brzoza' and 'Drohiczyn' groups would be merged – Colonel Brzoza-Brzezina would command the resultant 50th Infantry Division with three infantry regiments and a division of artillery. The 60th Infantry Division would be commanded by Colonel Adam Epler, comprising three infantry regiments, a division of artillery, a motorized company of 37 mm anti-tank guns, and eleven independent formations. In all, Kleeberg had about 18,000 men.
On September 28, 1939, the Polish forces began to march south to the Parczew-Wojcieszków line, guarded by the 'Zaza' cavalry unit. One of the Uhlan regiments from the 'Edward' brigade successfully crossed the Wieprz River and captured Spiczyn; another cavalry regiment from the 'Zaza' Division captured Jawidz and Wymysłów after some resistance. The Germans there suffered heavy losses. The next day, there was more fighting between the 'Zaza' Division and the Germans near Spiczyn. That evening, the 60th Infantry Division made contact with the Germans and entered a forest near Czeremniki. The Germans, employing an infantry formation supported by two tanks, launched an unsuccessful assault on the 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment.
By September 30, 1939, Polish forces were situated between the rivers Tyśmienica and Wieprz. The following day, forces from the 'Polesie' Group passed the Świderki colonies of Bystrzyca, Wola Osowińska, Bełcząc and Ostrówek. The 'Zaza' Division had settled in forests near the Tyśmianka River. One squadron of the 2nd Uhlan Regiment, who were defending a road, destroyed a German reconnaissance patrol. The command element of the 5th Uhlan Regiment and the 'Olek' and 'Wilk' infantry battalions attacked the Germans in Kock and captured the town.
Battle of Kock
On September 30, the commander of the 10th Army, Walter von Reichenau, ordered his staff to attack a large Polish force located between the Bug and Vistula rivers. This would involve the XIV Motorized Corps, which comprised the 29th Infantry Division, the 13th Motorized Infantry Division, along with some independent units. Each German motorized division had a reported strength of 16,445 soldiers, 2,676 trucks and staff cars, 1,944 motorcycles, and 18 armored cars.
October 2 General Gustav Anton von Wietersheim, the commander of the XIV Motorized Corps, knew that Polish forces were situated in the forests northwest of Kock, believing that the commander of the Polish forces was unaware of Warsaw's capitulation.
The commander of the 13th Motorized Infantry Division, , thought that the Polish forces had become so demoralized that they were incapable of combat and that a single German battalion would be enough to disarm and take them as prisoners. General Otto sent a force consisting of the 3rd Battalion, 93rd Motorized Infantry Regiment, supported by the 8th Battery, 13th Regiment of Light Artillery. The battalion commander decided to divide his forces into two groups, which were sent to Serokomla and Kock. He could count on help from the 93rd Motorized Infantry Regiment, along with some support forces following him.
Kock At 08:30am, a column of half-tracks and truck-mounted infantry came under fire from a guard platoon of No. 2 company of the 'Wilk' battalion. After a protracted engagement, the German troops withdrew. The Polish 179th Infantry Regiment was alerted and moved to defensive positions near and in Kock. At approximately 11:00, the German lead elements launched an attack on the Polish positions, which were now reinforced with two battalions. Despite supporting artillery fire, the attack failed. At dusk, German motorcyclists appeared near the church in Kock and began firing, though they subsequently withdrew upon return fire.
Serokomla A company of motorized infantry entered the village of Serokomla, leading to a chaotic action between the Germans and Uhlans from the 'Pils' Cavalry Brigade (commanded by Colonel Plisowski). An artillery unit from the same brigade supported the Poles. The Germans were forced to withdraw to the south of the village (see October 3, 1939).
Casualties The Germans sustained 300–400 casualties. Five officers, 180 NCOs and privates had been briefly captured by the Poles. Components of the 'Pils' cavalry brigade sustained about 200 casualties.
October 3