Battle of Gdynia - Before The Battle

Before The Battle

Gdynia is a major civilian and military port on the Baltic Sea, and was an important industrial centre of the Second Polish Republic. Its defence was one of the key elements in the Polish defence plan. One of the Polish armies, Armia Pomorze, had orders to prevent German forces from breaking through the Polish Corridor that linked most of Germany with East Prussia and to defend Gdynia, Hel, Kępa Oksywska and Oksywie.

The forces defending Gdynia were grouped under the Land Coastal Defence (Lądowa Obrona Wybrzeża), commanded by Colonel Stanisław Dąbek and Naval Coastal Defence (Morska Obrona Wybrzeża) Captain Stanisław Frankowski. The Polish plan foresaw that the Germans would manage to cut off Gdynia from the main forces of Armia Pomorze; therefore, the Land Coastal Defence was tasked with defence of the coast for 8–10 days and promised reinforcements after that period. It was thus prepared for individual operations and reassigned from Armia Pomorze to the Polish Navy, and Stanisław Dąbek received orders directly from counter-admiral Józef Unrug. The Polish Navy would support the coastal defence with 1 destroyer (ORP Wicher; 3 other destroyers had been evacuated from the Baltic Sea during Plan Peking), 1 heavy minelayer (ORP Gryf) and several submarines and smaller surface ships.

On 1 September, the Polish Land Coastal Defence force had a strength of approximately 17,000 (increased from about 5,000 two months earlier), with 40 artillery pieces (including 8 anti-aircraft), 34 mortars and granade launchers and approximately 400 machine guns. Infantry units were placed:

• west and Wejherowo:
• south of Gdynia, at Redłowo
• at Kartuzy
• at Koleczkowo
• at Gdynia and Kępa Oksywska

The German forces tasked with the capture of Gdynia were commanded by General Leonhard Kaupisch and formed part of the Army Group North under General Fedor von Bock. They were approximately 29,000 strong, with over 300 artillery pieces, 70 mortars and grenade launchers and 700 machine guns. The German Navy (Kriegsmarine) in the area consisted of 2 old battleships, 3 cruisers, 10 destroyers and several smaller units. Approximately 120 Luftwaffe planes were supporting the German forces.