Battle of Mokra - The German Assault

The German Assault

At 1000 hours, the Germans started an assault of the northern flank, but were repelled from most positions with significant losses on both sides. 15 minutes afterwards the German 4th Panzer Division repeated the attack, this time with artillery support and air cover. The assault was planned in three directions:

1. Towards the positions of the 19th Regiment and to the north, in order to outflank the brigade
2. Towards the village of Mokra itself, with approximately 100 tanks and AFVs
3. Towards the weakened 4th Battalion of the 84th Infantry Regiment

The northern assault was carried out quickly. Under the cover of heavy fire, the German tanks, which made up of a mixture of Panzer I and Panzer II type-tanks, managed to break into the forest and secured a road leading across the railway line to the village of Izbiska Duże, to the north of the Polish headquarters. At 1030, the Polish 4th Squadron of the dismounted 19th Cavalry Regiment was attacked from behind and pushed out of the forest. This threatened the Poles with separation of 19th and 21st Regiments. Colonel Filipowicz ordered the 19th Regiment to withdraw to the other side of the railway, but the way was already occupied by German tanks and the unit was effectively surrounded. However, the Polish defence was reinforced by the arrival of the Armoured train No. 53, known as Śmiały, which arrived to the battlefield in the very moment the German tanks were crossing the railway line. It stopped in the middle of the German column and opened fire with both of its 75mm guns and its heavy machine guns at close range on the German tanks. The German column was dispersed and retreated with heavy losses, losing a number of Panzer I, and II tanks destroyed or knocked out, while the 19th Regiment crossed the rail road under cover of the armoured train. Although the 19th Regiment suffered heavy losses, it managed to regroup on the other side.

Simultaneously, an attack on the main positions of the 21st Regiment near the village of Mokra was started. German tanks managed to outflank the 4th Squadron of the Regiment from the north, at the same time attacking it frontally. In the result, the Polish defenders were pushed out of the forest and heavy fights for the village itself started. The Germans lost four tanks to the Polish 2nd Artillery Battalion firing from across the railway, but the 4th battalion was in retreat, fighting for almost every house in the village and suffering heavy losses. Again the day was saved by Śmiały. It arrived to the area just on time and opened fire from the distance of almost 2.5 km, which was beyond the effective range of all contemporary German tank guns of the time, destroying or knocking out more Panzer I and II type-tanks. Also, more Polish cavalry, making up of the 12th Uhlans Regiment, was moved to the area where the men dismounted and reinforced the 21st Regiment.