The Polish Army of 1939 was based on the French system of universal conscription of age classes. In 1939, some 204,600 conscripts and volunteers were on active service in the army. The average term of service varied from 18 months for infantrymen to 22 1/2 months for cavalry, artillery, engineers, and signal troops. These active service troops maintained cadres for 30 infantry divisions, 11 cavalry brigades, and 2 motorized brigades, as well as the various artillery and support troops. In time of national emergency, various classes of the 1,500,000 man reserves (ages 24 to 42) could be called to active duty to fill out the cadre formations.

In addition to the army's active commands, there were two other military systems: the Frontier Guards, and the National Guard. The Frontier Guard units contained 12 regiments with 34 infantry battalions, 12 cavalry squadrons, and 2 artillery batteries. These units, in time of emergency, would form the bulk of 4 reserve divisions (the 33rd, 35th, 36th, and 38th), as well as contributing independent infantry or cavalry commands.

The National Guard consisted of men who had completed their training but had not been given specific mobilization assignments; men who had not received conscript training because they were in excess of the call-up quotas; and volunteers not yet subject to conscription. Training for National Guard units was on a part-time basis, and 11 brigade commands were formed to coordinate these activities.

The National Guard in wartime would subordinate its brigades to the local military commanders for deployment. In addition, battalions and individual members of the brigades would be detached for combination with reserve officer cadres to form an additional 5 reserve divisions (the 39th, 41st, 44th, and 55th). Other than the infantry divisions, there existed 3 mountain brigade cadres in the active service. These brigades were filled out by a combination of reservists, Frontier Guards, and two of the National Guard brigades.

As the campaign wore on, numerous ad hoc infantry units were formed from National Guard units or remnants of dispersed or incompletely mobilized commands. These ad hoc formations usually took the name of their commander, or the geographic region from which they originated. Two of these units were labeled as Reserve Divisions (the 50th and 60th), although they never completely attained divisional status. Finally, there were also formed 7 heavy machine-gun battalions, which functioned as independent commands assigned to the various front line armies or operational Groups.

The Polish mobilization system called for 26 infantry divisions (the 1st, 2nd, 4th-6th, 10th, 12th-23rd, 25th-30th), all 11 cavalry brigades, the 10th Motorized Brigade, and the 3 mountain brigades to be mobilized within 24 to 60 hours of the general mobilization order. The second mobilization wave consisted of the "Warsaw" Motorized Brigade, 3 infantry divisions (the 3rd, 38th, and 55th), and portions of 4 other divisons (5th, 33rd, 36th, and 41st). These units were to be formed in two to four days.

The third mobilization wave of the remaining three divisions (39th, 44th, and 45th), as well as the remainder of the partially formed divisions, were to be ready between the fifth and seventh day after mobilization. The general mobilization order was sent out on August 27, 1939, although about one-third of the first wave had already been mobilized at that time.

More Polish Army 1939

Introduction
Cavalry
Mechanized
Artillery
Anti-Air Defense
Air Force
Order of Battle