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| Československá samostatná obrněná brigáda | |
|---|---|
| Active | Sep 1943 - May 1945 |
| Country | Czechoslovakia |
| Allegiance | Expatriates equipped and supplied by Great Britain |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Armoured |
| Size | Brigade |
| Engagements | Siege of Dunkirk |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
MG Alois Liška |
The 1st Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade Group (Czech: Československá samostatná obrněná brigáda) was an armored unit of expatriate Czechs organized and equipped by Great Britain during the Second World War in 1943. The brigade landed in Normandy in August 1944 and was given the mission of besieging the German-held port of Dunkirk for the rest of the war in Europe. In May 1945, the brigade moved to Czechoslovakia and was absorbed into the Czechoslovak Army.
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Formation
1st Czechoslovak Armoured Brigade was created on 1 September 1943 when the 1st Czechoslovak Independent Brigade (itself originally formed as 1st Czechoslovak Mixed Brigade in July 1940 from remnants of the French Army's 1st Czechoslovak Division) converted to armour and was redesignated 1st Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade Group (this was often simplified to 1st Czechoslovak Armoured Brigade or abbreviated 1st CSIABG). The brigade was under the command of Major General Alois Liška.1 The motorized infantry battalion of the brigade traced its lineage back to Czechoslovak units that had fought in Libya and Lebanon, notably the 11th infantry battalion which took part in defence of Tobruk.2
Siege of Dunkirk
The formation continued to train in the UK until the summer of 1944 when, with some 4000 troops under command, it moved to Normandy, joining 21st Army Group at Falaise on August 30. At the beginning of October the brigade advanced to Dunkirk and relieved Canadian troops besieging the German-held fortress of Dunkirk. The brigade was subordinated to the First Canadian Army. The tank units of the brigade were primarily equipped with the Cromwell tank, with some Sherman Firefly tanks and light Stuart tanks and Crusader AA tanks 3 being present as well.
1st Brigade spent the remainder of the war at Dunkirk, alternately attacking and being attacked by the energetic German garrison. During that time the brigade was reinforced by French units formed from local French Forces of the Interior troops; on 15 October these were amalgamated into the 110th French Infantry Regiment of two battalions, and on 24 January 1945 the regiment was redesignated 51st French Infantry Regiment and expanded to four battalions. Various British and Canadian formations also supported the siege at one time or another.
In November the brigade passed from the First Canadian Army back to direct control by Montgomery’s 21st Army Group. In the spring of 1945 the 1st Armoured Brigade Group was expanded to 5,900 Czechoslovak officers and men, some of whom came from nationals recruited in liberated France, and some from countrymen forced to serve in the Wehrmacht and were then captured by the Allies.
Return to Czechoslovakia
On April 23, a symbolic 140-men strong unit led by major Sítek detached from the troops besieging Dunkirk, joined with the 3rd US Army and raised the Czechoslovak flag on its homeland border crossing on May 1, 1945 at Cheb.4
The Dunkirk garrison did not surrender until 9 May 1945, at which time 15,500 German troops and three U-boats were taken by the Czechoslovaks. The brigade then road marched to Prague, reaching the city on May 18, 1945, eight days after the arrival of Soviet-sponsored Czechoslovak troops commanded by Ludvík Svoboda.5
During the siege of Dunkirk, the Czechoslovak Armoured Brigade suffered 167 dead, 461 wounded, and 40 missing.
Order of Battle
Organization in September 1944:
- 1st Czechoslovak Tank Battalion
- 2nd Czechoslovak Tank Battalion
- 1st Czechoslovak Motorized Infantry Battalion (two companies)
- artillery regiment (two battalions)
- anti-tank battalion
- reconnaissance battalion
Organization in May 1945:
- 1st Czechoslovak Tank Battalion
- 2nd Czechoslovak Tank Battalion
- 3rd Czechoslovak Tank Battalion
- 1st Czechoslovak Motorized Infantry Battalion (three companies)
- artillery regiment (three battalions)
- anti-tank battalion
- reconnaissance battalion
Notes and Sources
- ^ Nigel Thomas, Foreign Volunteers of the Allied Forces 1939-45, p. 5, London:Osprey Publishing, 1998, ISBN 1-85532-136-X.
- ^ Nase noviny - The port of Dunkirk in WWII - The Czechoslovaks at Dunkirk 1944-45
- ^ Nase noviny - The port of Dunkirk in WWII - The Czechoslovaks at Dunkirk 1944-45
- ^ Václav Straka, Před Dunkerkem (At Dunkirk), a text in book Z válečného deníku by Ladislav Sitenský, Naše vojsko 1991, ISBN 80-206-0247-X, page 278 (in Czech)
- ^ Foreign Volunteers, p. 5.
See also
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