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Charge at Krojanty
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== The battle == [[File:Battlefield Krojanty 1.jpg|thumb|175px|Monument at the battlefield]] The [[18th Pomeranian Uhlan Regiment|18th Pomeranian]] [[Uhlan]]s spotted a group of German infantry resting in a clearing in the [[Tuchola Forest]] [[Heath (habitat)|heath]] near the railroad crossroads of [[Chojnice–Runowo Pomorskie railway|Chojnice–Runowo Pomorskie line]]. Colonel [[Kazimierz Mastalerz]] decided to take the enemy by surprise and ordered [[Eugeniusz Świeściak,]] commander of the 1st squadron, to execute a [[Charge (warfare)|cavalry charge]] at 1900 hours, leading two squadrons, about 250 strong. Most of the two other squadrons, and their [[TKS]]/[[TK3]] [[tankette]]s, were held back in reserve. The charge was successful: the German infantry unit was dispersed, and the Poles occupied the clearing. However, German armored reconnaissance vehicles appeared from the forest road, probably part of [[Aufklärungs-Abteilung 20,|''Aufklärungs-Abteilung 20'']], and soon the Polish units came under heavy [[machine gun]] fire, probably from [[Leichter Panzerspähwagen]] equipped with [[MG 34]], or [[Schwerer Panzerspähwagen]] equipped also with a [[20 mm gun|20 mm gun]]. The Poles were completely exposed and began to [[Canter and gallop|gallop]] for cover behind a nearby [[hillock]].{{Sfn | Zaloga | 1982 | p = [https://books.google.com/books?id=AAdYFeW2fnoC&pg=PA8&dq=krojanty&sig=t-2oC9WAXXw6xFZlAE1YYSLl3Fg#PPA9,M1 9]}} Commander Świeściak was killed, as was Mastalerz, who tried to save him. About a third of the Polish force was dead or wounded. On the other hand, the German advance was halted long enough to allow the withdrawal of [[Polish 1st Rifle battalion]] and [[Czersk Operational Group|National Defence battalion ''Czersk'']] from the nearby [[Battle of Chojnice (1939)|battle of Chojnice]]. The Polish cavalry charge impressed the Germans and caused a delay in the offensive of the [[German 20th Motorized Infantry Division|German 20th Motorised Infantry Division]] which considered a [[Withdrawal (military)|tactical retreat.]] This was however prevented by personal intervention of [[Heinz Guderian|Gen. Guderian]], who in his [[Memoir|memoirs]] stated that he encountered his staff "wearing helmets, preparing an [[anti-tank gun]] for a possible Polish cavalry attack,"{{Sfn | Guderian | 1951 | p = 63a | ps =: 'Die lange Straße war leer. Weit und breit fiel kein Schuß. Umso erstaunter war ich, als ich unmittelbar vor Zahn angerufen wurde und die Männer meines Stabes im Helm damit beschäftigt fand, eine Panzerabwehrkanone in Stellung zu bringen. Auf meine Frage, was sie dazu veranlaßt hätte, erhielt ich die Antwort, polnische Kavallerie sei im Anmarsch und müsse jeden Augenblick eintreffen.}} and that "the panic of the first day of war was overcome quickly".{{Sfn | Guderian | 1951 | p = 63b | ps =: 'Ich setzte mich nun an den Anfang des in der Nacht herausgezogenen Regiments und führte es selbst bis an den Kamionka-Ubergang nördlich Groß-Klonia, um es von dort auf Tuchel anzusetzen. Der Angriff der 2. (mot.) Division kam nunmehr schnell in Fluß. Die Panik des ersten Kriegstages war überwunden. Die Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 3 war in der Nacht bis an die Weichsel gelangt. Auf dem Gutshof Poledno in der Nähe von Schwetz hatte sie leider durch Unvorsichtigkeit empfindliche ...'}} <gallery> Image:Kazimierz Mastalerz.jpg|Kazimierz Mastalerz Image:Rotmistrz Eugeniusz Świeściak (ca.1938-39).jpg|Eugeniusz Świeściak </gallery>
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