11th Armoured Cavalry Division

The 11th "Lubuska" Armoured Cavalry Division (Polish: 11 Lubuska Dywizja Kawalerii Pancernej) is an armoured division of the Polish Land Forces, which traces its history to the formation of the 11th Infantry Division of the Polish Armed Forces in the East in 1945.

11th "Lubuska" Armoured Cavalry Division
11 Lubuska Dywizja Kawalerii Pancernej
Badge of the 11th Armoured Cavalry Division.
Active1949-Present
CountryPoland
BranchPolish Land Forces
TypeArmoured division
Rolearmoured warfare
Size14,000 soldiers
Garrison/HQŻagań
Nickname(s)Lubuska
PatronJan III Sobieski
AnniversariesSeptember 12th
EquipmentLeopard 2A5, Leopard 2A4, PT-91 Twardy
BMP-2, M113 armoured personnel carriers.

History

The 11th Armoured Cavalry Division draws its history in a straight line from the formation in March and April 1945, in the region of Łódź of the 11th Infantry Division.

In March 1949, on the basis of the 11th Infantry Division, the 6th Tank Regiment, and the 25th Armored Artillery Regiment, the 11th Motorised Infantry Division was formed. The division became a part of the 2nd Armoured Corps. The 11th Motorised Infantry Division was authorized 10,028 soldiers, 76 medium tanks, 21 assault guns, 5 armoured cars, 73 76-mm artillery pieces, 26 122-mm howitzers, 90 82-mm mortars, and 60 120-mm mortars. This unit was structured and quartered as:

11th Motorised Infantry Division (1949)

Division Headquarters and Staff - Żary

  • 29th Motorised Infantry Regiment - Jelenia Góra
  • 40th Motorised Infantry Regiment - Bolesławiec
  • 42nd Motorised Infantry Regiment - Żary
  • 8th Medium Tank Regiment - Żagań
  • 33rd Light Artillery Regiment - Żary
  • 92nd Antitank Artillery Regiment - Bolesławiec
  • 17th Mortar Regiment - Żagań
  • 15th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion - Żagań
  • 9th Reconnaissance Battalion - Żagań
  • 16th Sapper Battalion - Żary
  • 34th Signal Battalion - Żary
  • 44th Motor Transport Company - Żary
  • Vehicle repair workshops 10, 11, and 12 - Żary

In 1950 the division was reorganized as the 11th "Dresden" Mechanised Division, and authorized 7,636 soldiers, 138 medium tanks, 19 assault guns, 15 armoured cars, 26 122-mm howitzers, 40 76-mm artillery pieces, nine 57-mm antitank guns, 21 37-mm anti-aircraft guns, 40 82-mm mortars, and 54 120-mm mortars. On September 4, 1956, the 2nd Armoured Corps headquarters stood down and the 11th Division was subordinated to the command of the Silesian Military District. This iteration was structured and quartered as:

11th Mechanised Division (1950)

Division Headquarters and Staff - Żagań

  • 29th Mechanised Infantry Regiment - Żagań
  • 42nd Mechanised Infantry Regiment - Żary
  • 67th Mechanised Infantry Regiment - Opole
  • 8th "Dresden" Medium Tank Regiment - Żagań
  • 33rd Light Artillery Regiment - Żary
  • 92nd Antitank Artillery Regiment - Bolesławiec
  • 17th Mortar Regiment - Żagań
  • 15th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion - Żagań
  • 9th Reconnaissance Battalion - Żagań
  • 16th Sapper Battalion - Żary
  • 34th Signal Battalion - Żagań
  • 44th Motor Transport Company - Żagań
  • Vehicle repair workshop 10 - Żagań
  • Vehicle repair workshops 11 and 12 - Żary

In summer 1957 the reorganization of the division was carried out, and in April 1963 it reorganized as the 11th Armoured Division. In August and September 1968, the 11th Armoured Division was one of the Polish units that took part in the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia. The 11th Armoured Division was structured and quartered as:

11th Armoured Division (1989)

Division Headquarters and Staff - Żagań

  • 3rd Medium Tank Regiment - Żagań
  • 8th Medium Tank Regiment - Żagań
  • 29th "Dresden" Medium Tank Regiment - Żagań
  • 42nd Mechanised Infantry Regiment - Żary
  • 33rd Light Artillery Regiment - Żary
  • 66th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment - Bolesławiec
  • 10th Tactical Rocket Artillery Battalion - Żary (9K52 ŁUNA-M rockets)
  • 43rd Rocket Artillery Battalion - Żary (BM-21 Grad rockets)
  • 9th Reconnaissance Battalion - Żagań
  • 16th Sapper Battalion - Żary
  • 11th Supply Battalion - Żagań
  • 11th Maintenance Battalion - Żagań
  • 34th Signal Battalion - Żagań
  • 60th Medical Battalion - Żagań
  • 17th Chemical Company - Żagań
  • Military Police Company - Żagań

In 1990 the division was reorganized as the 11th Mechanised Division. In September 1991 the division lost the distinguished name "Dresden". In July 1992, the type-designation "armoured cavalry" was granted, although the division was eventually restructured as a regular armoured division. The new type designation recalled the service of pre-war and Second World War Western Front Polish armoured units.

Current structure
11 Armored Div.
10 Armored
17 Mech
34 Armored
23 Art. Rgt.
4 Air-Def. Rgt.
Location of the 11th Armoured Cavalry Division and its units 2015.

As of July 2015, the division is structured and quartered in this manner:

Notes

    Bibliography
    • Wiesław Chłopek, 11 Lubuska Dywizja Kawalerii Pancernej im. Króla Jana III Sobieskiego. Zarys dziejów, Wydawnictwo "Chroma", Żary 2005, wyd. I, ISBN 83-922412-3-1
    • Zdzisław Sawicki, Mundur i odznaki Wojska Polskiego. Czas przemian, Warszawa: Bellona, 1997
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