Feast of the Polish Armed Forces

Every year on 15th of August we are celebrating one of the most significant days for every Pole – National Armed Forces Day. It is to commemorate the glarious victory of Polish Forces in the Battle of Warsaw in 1920. This special day for our nation has been introduced on 13th of August 1992 by the authority of Polish Governament (Dz.U. [Journal of Laws] from 1992, no. 60, item 303).

On the occasion of the centenary celebration of the Battle held this year, our Governament decided to make 2020 the year of the Battle of Warsaw. In addiction to that, this years celebration of Armed Forces Day will be known as „1920 – Polish victory that freed whole Europe”. To make this armed conflict even more significant, it is worth mentioning that the Battle of Warsaw is helding place on the list of the Eighteen Most Decisive Battles of the World. Despite the fact that Polish Air Forces were at the stage of creating at that point and were mostly used as support for the army, it was promptly discovered that they were a force to be reckoned with.

The support and efficency of Air Forces in Polish – Soviet War was brilliantly summarised by the dispatch of S. Budyonny from 18th of August 1920. As quoted : „ In the past couple days our enemy used air forces against our cavalery in wide range to compensate for the fact of having little forces himself. On 16th and 17th of August enemy forces in the number of about 9 aircrafts were circulating above our cavalery. They were audacious enough to lower their flight and open fire at us or to straf our columns. Forces, which are being attack from above no less than three times per day, are losing men and horses rapidly. In our 6th division only in one day of 17th of August we recorded a demise or injury of over 100 men and 100 horses. One of the attack was whitewashed only by Air Force counterstrike. I would like to receive an anti-aircraft artillery which shall follow our cavalery .”

In commemoration of this special day we would like to express our deep gratitude and appreciation of Polish soldiers for their constant service, hardships and sacrifice.

MM, AK WIML
fot. ISz, WIML