Land Coastal Defence - Before The War

Before The War

LOW was at first subordinate to the Toruń-based military area command led by General Władysław Bortnowski (Armia Pomorze), but was later reassigned from Armia Pomorze to the Polish Navy, and received orders directly from Counter-Admiral Józef Unrug. Its first commander was Col. Józef Sass-Hoszowski and, after July 23, 1939, Col. Stanisław Dąbek. It was part of the Coastal Defence Group (Grupa Obrony Wybrzeża), tasked with organizing the defence of the Polish seashore, as well as the borders with Nazi Germany and Danzig, and the preparation of the defence of the Polish naval bases and mobilization centres (Gdynia, Oksywie, Hel, Westerplatte. LOW was to defend Gdynia and Oksywie; Hel and Westerplatte had their own dedicated formations under the Coastal Defence Group. LOW's task was to defend the most important of Polish mobilization centers around Gdynia - the major Polish port - for about 8-10 days, after which it was expected to be relieved by a Polish Army counterattack. As it was clear that the Polish defenders of the so-called Polish Corridor would be at least temporarily cut off from the Polish mainland, the defence was organized into several fortified lines that were to shield the naval base of the Hel Peninsula and the city of Gdynia from all sides.

LOW numbered about 15,000 troops with limited artillery (about 40 40-105mm artillery pieces, plus some anti-aircraft guns).