So by all accounts this is going to be a very brief blog post for the simple reason that there is just no information that I can find out there concerning the Sappers and Pioneers that fought in the armies of the Polish Second Republic in 1939 much less those that were attached to the Polish National Defence forces... although I have seen a photograph of a bridge that they destroyed! :D
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| A complete Obrona Narodowa Sapper/ Pioneer Section of two teams |
What little I know can be summed up in this single paragraph. Each Type III, Type IV and Type 'S' Battalion was provided with a force of Sappers and Pioneers. The Type III battalions had a full platoon provided whilst the Type IV and Type S Battalions were provided only with a team.
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| The only photo of Polish Sappers in action laying mines that I've ever found... |
Throughout the pre-war years they drew their stores and equipment from their parent administrative regiments although when hostilities broke out the battalions had to provide for themselves.
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| A closer look at just the Sapper section |
The tasks that they were set was to create as much obstruction for the enemy as possible hy destroying bridges, laying minefields and creating roadblocks and anti tank obstacles for example.
Short... and succinct!
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| A rear view of the Sapper section |
The modelling for these was also pretty standard as far as the modelling for my Obrona Narodowa goes.
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| A Museum Miniatures Engineers Wagon |
The wagon in particular was a bit of a different one. I chose a Museum Miniatures Engineers Wagon with Spoked Wheels (WG04) and gave it the same paint job as for all of my other wagons. I used the AK Interactive Wood paint sets (More Set 1 than Set 2) whilst the metal parts on the wagons were the usual Molten Metal 'Steel' paint with a combination of rusty brown and black washes over them to give a used and old feel.
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| A close up look at one of the Sapper Section bases. |
The actual sappers themselves were represented by a mixture of figures from a variety of sources. As with my Piechoty and 10th Cavalry Brigade armies the same holds true of the Obrona Narodowa and that is the fact that whilst the Polish had actually invented the Mine Detector by the time World War 2 began it had not yet entered into production and as such the fact that one of my men on each base is using a mine detector is most definitely artistic licence... I don't think anybody can argue with the satchel charge toting hero though! If its not a bayonet the Poles were slinging something explosive!
As per usual the majority of the troops are Peter Pig Spanish Civil War Carlist Requetes but the Satchel Charge and Mine Detector wielding nutcases are both actually Peter Pig WW2 American Marines.
I chose the marines as opposed to the regular army because of the size of the Marine gators which would be painted as the wrap around puttees that were a part of the Obrona Narodowa uniform although in retrospect this may have been a mistake as I have something at the back of my mind from my Black Brigade project indicating that all Sappers and Pioneers were issued heavy duty boots!
... and so I think that just about covers everything... except of course the WIP page for the above mentioned hardcases:
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| The WIP page showing the Pioneer Section (and the Mortar Team if you hadn't already seen it!) |
So there we are ladies and gents; yet another Polish extravaganza finished and put to bed.
I'll be incognito for the next week as Im flying out to North Spain to see a couple of battlefields tomorrow morning. In the near future you poor souls will be hearing all about the battles of Espinosa de Los Monteros leading to the collapse of the Spanish Army of Galicia and the battle of La Coruna where a British hero, Sir John Moore laid down his life to save the British Army (we seem to be really good at that!)
These two battles are both Napoleonic so there will be masses and masses of bayonets!
Wanna get involved?
...FIX BAYONETS!
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