Battle of Krechowce

The Battle of Krechowce (Polish: Bitwa pod Krechowcami) took place on 24 July 1917, during World War I. Polish uhlans, who fought in the Imperial Russian Army, were ordered to halt the advance of German Army, which tried to capture the city of Stanisławów, located at that time in Austrian Galicia. The battle between Polish and German forces took place near the village of Krechowce (Крихівці). The uhlans managed to check the Germans for a whole day, and then retreated to Stanisławów.

On 21 July 1917, 1st Uhlan Regiment (400 soldiers), which was part of the so-called Puławy Legion entered Stanisławów, where it defended civilian population from Russian marauders, who looted the city. In the outskirts of Stanisławów, Russian 11th Infantry Division was located, but another Russian unit ordered to defend the area in the south, 19th Infantry Division, did not take its positions, as most of its soldiers had fled.

Russian general Pavel Sytin, who commanded 11th I.D. was well aware of the danger of encirclement from the south and ordered his troops to prepare retreat through two bridges over the rivers of Bystrzyca Sołotwińska and Bystrzyca Nadwórniańska, east of Stanisławów. Sytin then asked Polish 1st Uhlan Regiment to protect the retreat and check the Germans for as long as possible, in order to save most of his troops and artillery.

Colonel Bolesław Mościcki, who commanded the Regiment, split his forces into two groups, which, due to the hilly terrain, were not in touch with each other. Furthermore, he decided to attack the enemy with mounted troops. His 4th squadron protected the road from Radzcza to Stanisławów, 2nd squadron attacked the village of Krechowce, 3rd squadron advanced behind 2nd squadron, and 1st squadron remained in reserve.

On 24 July 1917, at 3:30 p.m., Polish forces, reinforced by a Russian armored vehicle, went into action. Krechowce was manned by Bavarian infantry, supported by artillery and armored vehicle. After reaching the center of the village, Polish soldiers had to retreat, due to superior German firepower. Soldiers of 2nd and 3rd squadrons got off their horses and awaited action. Colonel Moscicki sent a few patrols to Krechowce, simulating another attack. They returned at about 8 p.m., informing about German reinforcements, which had appeared in the village.

In late afternoon, a battalion of Russian 41st Infantry Regiment arrived to support Polish uhlans. Meanwhile, bulk of Russian 11th I.D. had crossed both bridges, which were then blown up by Poles. 4th uhlan squadron, operating east of Stanisławów, at some point met two squadrons of German cavalry. The enemy retreated, and Poles, while in pursuit, found themselves under strong infantry fire in the village of Drohomirczany. To save the situation, 1st Polish squadron joined 4th squadron, chasing away the infantry, which turned out to be a Bosnian unit in Austrian service.

Before nightfall, all Polish forces were ordered to retreat to a location south of Stanisławów.

Despite crushing superiority of the enemy, the Regiment, with its 400 soldiers and without artillery, managed to check the advance of 2000 Germans for 5 hours. The Battle of Krechowce was not important from strategic point of view, and did not affect the events of World War I, but it became legendary among Poles. 1st Uhlan Regiment became to be known as 1st Krechowce Uhlan Regiment, and the battle was commemorated on Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Warsaw, with the inscription “KRECHOWCE 24 VII 1917”. The inscription was removed by Communist authorities, and returned after 1990.