Działania bojowe pułku Korpusu Ochrony Pogranicza „Czortków” 17 września 1939 roku
The Fights of the “Czortkow” Regiment of the Polish Border Protection Corps on 17 September 1939

Summary/Abstract: On the eve of the Second World War, the “Podole” Brigade of the Border Protection Corps guarded approximately 203.5 km of the Polish border with the USSR and 112.9 km of the Polish border with Romania. During the mobilisation of the Polish Army in August 1939, the brigade’s strength was reduced and as a result it was reorganised into the “Czortkow” Regiment, which consisted of three border battalions. On 17 September, the battalions were attacked by Soviet troops of much larger numbers. Despite the enormous numerical superiority, the Polish border guards continued an armed resistance. Having found themselves in a desperate situation, all the regiment’s border guard posts opened fire on invaders, resulting in causalties. However, under the pressure of the enemy’s superiority, the Polish soldiers were forced to retreat. Some posts resisted fiercely for several hours, thus immobilising considerable enemy forces. Only in those areas where regular Soviet troops did not cross the border, the Polish guards remained in their positions for a longer period of time. Thus, after the first day of tense battles with the Soviet troops, the “Czortkow” Regiment actually ceased to exist as an organised military unit, since the overwhelming majority of the personnel was destroyed or captured. Only two companies, cut off from the main forces in the interfluve of the Zbruch and Dniester rivers, were able to retreat to Romania.

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