Regiment Established During Wartime
As we know, this regiment never existed in the peacetime organization of the Polish Army. It was mobilized during the course of hostilities on August 24, 1939, by the 1st Marine Rifle Battalion.
Around Two Thousand Officers
This regiment consisted of two battalions, comprising a total of 1,841 officers, non-commissioned officers, and riflemen. This unit was one of the main backbones of the Polish Coast defense system, operating as part of the Land Coast Defense. The commander of this regiment was Colonel Stanisław Dąbek,
The Regiment’s Mission
The main task of this regiment was to defend access to Gdynia from the west for as long as possible, across a 15-kilometer strip. In the event of an attack by hostile German forces, the Poles had to delay their actions along the Wejherowo-Gniewino and Kępa Oksywska route as much as possible.
Incessant German Attacks
From September 1, 1939, this regiment was naturally attacked by overwhelming German forces. It fought mainly against units of the German 207th Infantry Division, the 32nd Border Guard Regiment, the 5th Cavalry Regiment, and the SS Heimwehr Danzig battalion. The defense line of the Polish regiment was held only until September 7, but the crushing superiority of enemy forces forced the Poles to retreat. From September 8 to 9, 1939, the 1st Marine Rifle Regiment defended Reda, but despite everything, it received orders to concentrate on the Oksywie Headland (Kępa Oksywska). There it fought against the occupier until September 19, right up until the capitulation.
Heavy Losses
During the incessant fighting, the losses of the aforementioned regiment amounted to 900 killed and wounded. Unfortunately, losses among the officers exceeded sixty percent, while among the riflemen they were around fifty percent. For acts of exceptional valor on the battlefield in defense of the Polish Coast during the 1939 defensive war, at the request of the Chapter of the Virtuti Militari War Order, in 1966 the 1st Marine Rifle Regiment was awarded the Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari.
The editorial team of “Dziennik Polonijny” thanks you for the opportunity to spend time with Polish sailors, listening to their extraordinary stories.
