Poland in Belgium

Photograph caption: General Maczek in a tank, Great Britain, July 1944. Photograph taken during excercises. Photo: National Digital Archives.

The fortunes of war brought together the histories of Poland and Belgium, two countries
far apart from one another. In the autumn of 1944, soldiers of the 1st Armoured Division, commanded by General Stanisław Maczek, took part in the fighting to liberate Belgian cities
and towns, including Poperinge, Ypres, Roeselare, Tielt, Maldegem, Aalter, Ghent, Lokeren, Stekene, Sint-Niklaas, Beveren and Beerse.

“Welcomed with ovations in Ghent, the armoured units spread out across Belgium’s fields
of flowers, between Ghent, St Nicolas and Antwerp, as far as the River Scheldt. We began
to be intoxicated by our own successes – and by wine – and by women’s kisses, the wild joy
of the liberated Belgians, and the cheers of the crowds. White-and-red banners flew from church towers, and the names of our regiments were entered into the cities’ golden books. The shots
on the outskirts of the cities being captured had not yet ceased when an orchestra was playing in the market square and people were dancing in the local venues. The population held balls, while
the graves of the fallen were covered in flowers. In the churches, people prayed for us
and for Poland, spontaneously and sincerely. We were proud of ourselves and of the spirit
of Belgium.” This is how Lieutenant Colonel Stanisław Koszutski, one of the participants
in these events, wrote about what happened more than eighty years ago.

After German and Soviet forces occupied the territory of the Republic of Poland in 1939, Poles continued their struggle for freedom. At the end of July and the beginning of August 1944, the Polish 1st Armoured Division was transferred from Great Britain, where it had been formed and trained, to the Western Front in France. It was commanded by General Stanisław Maczek – an experienced, intelligent and charismatic commander, very well-liked by his subordinates. The 1st Armoured Division, which was part of the 1st Canadian Army, distinguished itself in the battles of Falaise, Chambois and Mont Ormel, closing the so-called “Falaise pocket”, which contributed to a breakthrough in the Normandy campaign.

After heavy fighting in France and pursuing the enemy, Polish soldiers entered Belgium
on 6 September 1944. On the same day, they drove the Germans out of Poperinge and reached Ypres. In this city, which had suffered terribly during the First World War, the thousands
of crosses on the graves of fallen soldiers made a strong impression on the Polish tank crews.
The city was captured after heavy fighting in the streets. Despite the enthusiastic welcome
from the inhabitants, the Polish soldiers did not stay in Ypres for long. Between 7 and 9 September, the 1st Armoured Division successively took Roeselare, Tielt and Ruiselede. General Maczek
then took steps to prevent German units from withdrawing across the Scheldt. Sub-units
of the division were to capture Ghent, Lokeren and Sint-Niklaas, and shortly afterwards link up with the British 11th Armoured Division in the Antwerp area. The Poles suffered heavy losses
in the fighting for Ghent.

The flat terrain, waterlogged ground and numerous canals, as well as the dense development
in the cities and towns of Belgium and the Netherlands, posed a serious challenge
to the 1st Armoured Division. The fighting carried out by the Polish tank crews in this area
was very difficult. General Maczek, taking into account the possibility of heavier losses among
his own soldiers, ordered that, wherever possible, the civilian population should be protected
and the buildings in the cities spared. In the midst of the destruction and brutality of the Second World War, this order was something extraordinary.

Polish soldiers who took part in the fighting for the liberation of Belgium and the Netherlands recalled the difficulties that the conditions in both countries created for armoured forces.
The tanks moved slowly, getting stuck in the mud. The waterlogged terrain made it impossible
to move quickly, as had been possible in France. The Germans, while defending the territories
they had occupied, made masterful use of the advantages offered by the terrain and densely
built-up areas. Numerous orchards, high hedges and closely spaced buildings posed a deadly danger to the liberating soldiers, as they provided excellent cover for German anti-tank guns and soldiers equipped with Panzerfausts. Despite the difficulties and losses, the Polish soldiers continued
to advance, liberating successive cities in Belgium. The local population responded by welcoming their liberators with genuine enthusiasm. General Maczek’s soldiers remembered Belgian hospitality warmly. While during the fighting in France they usually slept under
their tanks, in Belgium they were often invited by local people to spend the night in their homes, sharing everything they had.

“As we began to liberate cities on the Continent, our popularity grew. We spared buildings
and did not fire without purpose […]. The cities liberated by the Poles greatly appreciated
the fact that they had not been destroyed. Later, British and Canadian units that had liberated other places would come to various celebrations. And yet it was always the Poles
who were given the warmest welcome […]”. (Major Zbigniew Kozak)

Written by: Anna Pastorek PhD, Military Center for Civic Education