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New monument honours “largest cavalry battle of 20th century”

A huge monument commemorating one of the last ever mass cavalry charges in history was unveiled yesterday in Wolica Śniatycka near Zamość.
Wojtek Jargiło/PAP

A huge monument commemorating one of the last ever mass cavalry charges in history was unveiled yesterday in Wolica Śniatycka near Zamość.

In this way, one of the most important clashes in Poland’s struggle for independence, the Battle of Komarów in 1920, was remembered on its 102nd anniversary.

On August 31st, 1920, the Poles, commanded by Colonel Juliusz Rommel, defeated Semyon Budyonny’s 1st Cavalry Army.

The clash between the Polish Army and the Red Army at Komarów in 1920 is described as the world’s last major cavalry.Public domain

Budyonny’s army, which was moving towards Warsaw and had been the scourge of the Polish army, was four times the size of the Polish force ranged against it.

The clash between the Polish Army and the Red Army at Komarów in 1920 is described as the world’s last major cavalry battle and the largest of the twentieth century.

The battle ended in a disaster for the Soviets, who sustained heavy casualties and barely avoided being surrounded and destroyed.

On August 31, 1920, the Poles, commanded by Colonel Juliusz Rommel, defeated Semyon Budyonny’s 1st Cavalry Army.Wikicommons

After the battle, the morale of Budyonny’s army collapsed, and it never regained its reputation as an effective fighting force.

The Monument to the Glory of Cavalry and Horse Artillery at Wolica Śniatycka, a village about 10 km east of Zamość, is striking in its dimensions: it rises to 19.5 meters, and between the giant hussar wings are cast bronze figures of three charging cavalrymen.

It is the fulfilment of the testament of the cavalrymen of the Second Republic of Poland, who in 1936 formed a committee to build a monument; these plans were subsequently disrupted, first by the war and then the communist regime.

Plans for a monument were first hatched in 1936 but thwarted first by the war, and then the communist regime.Wojtek Jargiło/PAP

The raising of the monument is largely the fruit of several years of work by the Battle of Komarów Association under the leadership of architect Tomasz Dudek, who donated the land for the monument free of charge and, together with Konrad Głuchowski, designed the monument.

Costing over PLN 4 million, funds were mainly raised through public donations.

The project also received financing from the state budget and competitions held by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. The panels with regimental signs had their cost covered by the Institute of National Remembrance.

Yet to be built are a video surveillance system and a parking area as the site is expected to draw visitors from afar.

The monument is striking in its dimensions: it rises to 19.5 meters, and between the giant hussar wings are cast bronze figures of three charging cavalrymen.Wojtek Jargiło/PAP

The monument celebrates the victory of the Battle of Komarów, which took place on August 31, 1920, when the Bolshevik 1st Cavalry Army of Semyon Budyonny, advancing towards Warsaw met the Polish 1st Cavalry Division under the command of Colonel Juliusz Rommel.

Although the Poles had beaten the Bolsheviks at the Battle of Warsaw a few days before, the fighting on the southern front continued.

Budyonny’s army had been battling the Poles since the end of May 1920 and had proved to be a constant thorn for the Poles due to their tactics.

Budyonny would approach enemy positions and conduct reconnaissance until he found the weakest point, based upon which he would then launch massive attacks using all four of his divisions.

Costing over PLN 4 million, funds were mainly raised through public donations.Wojtek Jargiło/PAP

He would break through the enemy lines thanks to his numerical superiority, and then rush to the enemy’s rear, where his units would sow destruction and panic.

They followed this up with often bestial treatment of prisoners and civilians – including the mass rape of women.

Budyonny’s army, after a failed attempt to capture Lwów, had been trying to occupy Zamość. However, they were finally pushed out by Ukrainian and Polish forces.

Fearing encirclement, Budyonny headed east towards the Bug river, but on his way, he met Rommel’s 1st Cavalry Division.

Semyon Budyonny’s 1st Cavalry Army was notorious for its brutality and ill-treatment of prisoners and civilians.Wikicommons

Unknown to Budyonny, the Polish army’s top leadership with the combined input of Generals Władysław Sikorski, Stanisław Maczek, Stanisław Haller and Julisz Rómmel were strategically well-prepared. Further aiding them, Bolshevik radio messages had been intercepted by lieutenant Jan Kowaleski.

Even so, Polish forces numbered about 1,500 soldiers and were massively outnumbered by the Soviet forces of more than 6,000.

The final victory was decided by the charge of the 8th Uhlan Regiment commanded by Captain Kornel Krzeczunowicz. His daring charge straight into the ranks of the Bolshevik cavalry led to the final and rapid retreat of the Soviets from the field of battle and even allowed the Poles to capture Budyonny’s car.

Polish casualty figures included 300 dead and wounded cavalrymen and 500 horses.

A reenactment recalls the battle – the victory was to prove hugely significant.Wojtek Jargiło/PAP

The victory, though, was strategically highly significant, halting the Bolshevik advance and severely weakening its forces and allowing Poles to gain back territories earlier captured by the Bolsheviks in the east.

The Battle of Komarów was one of the largest fought by cavalry in the 20th century and is frequently described as perhaps the last ever major cavalry battle.

Cavalry battles have taken place since 1920, but not on such a scale. The Battle of Schoenfeld on 1 March 1945 during World War II was the scene of the last mounted charge in the history of the Polish cavalry.

In 1942, Italian cavalry charged a Soviet position on the Don river and other small cavalry charges took place in Asia during World War Two. Cavalry charges are even reported to have occurred as late as the 1970s in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe.

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