Oliwa's Escape ETO (id:#65429)

(March Madness 2021 Three-Player Pack ID: MM 68)   [next]   [previous]

Kowel, Poland 1944-04-10 (1 other)

Overview:

The 27th Infantry Division of the Volhynia District Home Army (WDP KA) formed up between December 1943 and January 1944 to defend the Polish people from the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). The AK partisan units used to form the division had fought against the UPA, the German Army, and the Soviet Army from 1943 to 1944. The division collaborated with Soviet partisans during the battles of Holoby (9 March 1944) and Zasmyki (17 March). In late March, the 27 WDP AK was asked to come under Soviet command as a regular unit of the Soviet-backed Polish Army. Although the AK was forced to concede to cooperate with the Soviets, they had serious misgivings. The 27 WDP AK commander, Lt. Colonel Jan Wojciech Kiwerski (Oliwa), declined to fully subordinate himself and his unit to the Soviets. As a result, when the 27 WDP AK began engaging front-line German units the Soviets provided little support. On 2 April the division was surrounded by the Germans near Kowel. After nearly two weeks of fighting, the 27 WDPAK was depleted and its soldiers exhausted. The division's troops were ordered to attempt escape. These attempts were hampered by German anti-partisan operations and by active hostility from the Soviets.

Defender: Russian and Polish Partisans (172nd Rifle Division and 27 WDP AK)  

Errata (source)