The 2nd Rifle Division ( pl, 2 Dywizja Strzelców Pieszych, french: 2e Division des Chasseurs or ''2e Division d'Infanterie Polonaise'') was a Polish Army unit, part of the recreated Polish Army in France in 1940. The division (numbering 15,830 soldiers) was commanded by Brigadier-General

Bronisław Prugar-Ketling Bronisław Prugar-Ketling (2 July 1891, Trześniów, Subcarpathian Voivodeship – 18 February 1948, Warsaw) was a Polish general. He was a member of Polish Military Organisation in World War I, later served in the Blue Army. He fought in the ...

, and was based from late December 1939 to May 1940 at

Parthenay Parthenay () is an ancient fortified town and Communes of France, ''commune'' in the Deux-Sèvres Departments of France, department of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regions of France, region in western France. It is sited on a rocky spur that is ...

in Eastern France. Under Prugar-Ketling the division was charged with holding the defences around Belfort, Alsace.The Polish Army In France 1939 - 1940
Last retrieved on 31 July 2007. Assigned to part of the French reserves, 45th Corps. Engaged in heavy fighting from June 17 to 19 near the

Doubs Doubs (, ; ; frp, Dubs) is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in Eastern France. Named after the river Doubs, it had a population of 543,974 in 2019.Saône The Saône ( , ; frp, Sona; lat, Arar) is a river in eastern France. It is a right tributary of the Rhône, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department and joining the Rhône in Lyon, at the southern end of the Presqu'île. The name deri ...

rivers,Wojsko Polskie we Francji
Świat Polonii. it stopped a German attack on the

Clos-du-Doubs Clos du Doubs ( fc, Chôs di Doubs) is a municipality in the district of Porrentruy in the canton of Jura in Switzerland. It was founded on January 1, 2009 by the former municipalities of Epauvillers, Epiquerez, Montenol, Montmelon, Ocourt, Sa ...

hills.Campaign in France - The Poles on the frontlines of WWII
Last retrieved on 31 July 2007. but due to the (unknown to the Poles) rapid retreat of the nearby French forces it was surrounded by the Germans; nonetheless it managed to break through to

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

over 20–21 June 1940, where its soldiers were interned for the rest of the war, although many "escaped" back into France and eventually made their way to England to rejoin the Polish forces there.Polskie Siły Zbrojne na Zachodzie - Polskie Siły Zbrojne we Francji

WIEM Encyklopedia WIEM Encyklopedia (full name in pl, Wielka Interaktywna Encyklopedia Multimedialna - "Great Interactive Multimedia Encyclopedia"; in Polish, ''wiem'' also means 'I know') is a Polish Internet encyclopedia. The first printed edition was released i ...

. Last retrieved on 31 July 2007. In

Henri Guisan Henri Guisan (; 21 October 1874 – 7 April 1960) was a Swiss army officer who held the office of the General of the Swiss Armed Forces during the Second World War. He was the fourth and the most recent man to be appointed to the rarely use ...

's defense plan for a German invasion of Switzerland, the 2nd Rifle Division would be rearmed and fight alongside the Swiss forces.

Organization

Structure of the division: * Chief of Staff, 2nd Polish Infantry Division ** 4th Polish Infantry Regiment ** 5th Polish Infantry Regiment ** 6th Polish Infantry Regiment ** 2nd Polish Artillery Regiment ** 202nd Polish Heavy Artillery Regiment

Notes

External links

Order of battle
02nd Rifle 2nd Chasseurs Military units and formations established in 1939 2nd Rifle Military units and formations disestablished in 1940 {{Poland-mil-stub