Warszawa II by Norbert Bacyk Read Free Book Online

identifying the Soviet forces which were attacking Poland’s capital city, since they had initially taken the 3rd Tank Corps to be a cavalry corps. On the other hand, they correctly identified the 16th Tank Corps and the 8th Tanks Corps.
    The order to march westwards reached the 3rd SS-Panzer-Division “Totenkopf” and SS-Oberführer Hellmuth Becker at Siedlce – where, for the last two days, he had been engaged in hitting back at General Krjukov’s rapid response force. The 5th SS-Panzer-Division “Wiking” and SS-Gruppenführer Herbert Gille had not, on the other hand, completely finished their transport across the Bug where Kampfgruppe “Westland” carried out a counter-offensive against the 65th and 68th Armies. But by July 29, the majority of the divisions had nonetheless assembled outside of Węgrów, northwest of Siedlce. In some literature, information indicates that II SS-Panzer-Regiment 5 “Wiking” (which was part of Kampfgruppe “Mühlenkamp” – HQ staff of the SS-Panzer-Regiment 5 “Wiking”, II SS-Panzer-Regiment 5 “Wiking” and a part of SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 9 “Germania”), had fought outside Siedlce on July 28 – 29, destroying 107 Soviet tanks while only losing 6 of their own. It must be observed, however, that it’s very doubtful this battalion could have been present at that location on July 29. At Siedlce, soldiers from the 3rd SS-Panzer-Division “Totenkopf ” did fight and they actually did destroy an impressive number of the 11th Tank Corps’ tanks. But in Heeresgruppe “Mittes” situation report of July 30, it states that the 5th SS-Panzer-Division “Wiking” was located in Węgrów. And inasmuch as the 3rd SS-Panzer-Division “Totenkopf ’s” retreat from Siedlce resulted in the city being seized by Soviet forces that very day, the possibility of SS-Panzer-Regiment 5 “Wiking’s” tanks engaging in the fighting at Siedlce is hardly realistic. They did, however, participate in battle east of the city, since that portion of the 5th SS- Panzer-Division “Wiking” which battled in the south retreated across Łosice and Mordy to Sokołow Podlaski, and from there, on towards Węgrów.

    On July 30, the situation was complicated even more on the stretch towards Warsaw. Early that morning, the 3rd Tank Corps’ reconnaissance units tried to seize Zielonka. The Germans beat off the assault. At the same time, the corps’ main force struck at Wołomin and after they had taken it, they set their sights on Radzymin. After a couple of hours, both towns were in General Vjedjenjev’s hands. Frontline troops within the 103rd Tank Brigade had encircled Radzymin – the 50th Tank Brigade had occupied positions west of Wołomin in the area by the road towards Marki, while the 51st Tank Brigade had secured the corps’ right flank, east of Stanisławów. Additional forces, in the form of the 57th Mechanised Brigade, were also on their way to this area, although they had for a short period of time lost connection with their tank units during an attack against German corps’ second echelon. Here, it’s appropriate to point out that in carrying out this well-executed armoured raid into unknown territory, the Soviet tank crews were indebted to local units of the Home Army and the local population, who had gladly volunteered their expert knowledge of the area.
    The seizure of Radzymin by the 103rd Tank Brigade meant that the 3rd Tank Corps ‘ commander had, in effect, executed the order to cut off the German 9th Army from the 2nd Army. Meanwhile, the 8th Tank Guards Corps, which found itself in back of the 3rd Tank Corps, went round Mińsk Mazowiecki in a westerly direction. The corps’ frontline troops had reached the area east of Okuniew. The 16th Tank Corps, which attacked from the Otwock area, having