Formed in France following the defeat of Poland in 1939, the Polish Army moved to Britain after the fall of France. The Division was formed, initially, as a skeleton formation becoming fully constituted in the Spring of 1944.
The Division landed in France on 1st August taking part in the initial phases of the battle for Falaise, 7th–10th August, and then again in the closing of the Falaise Gap, 16th–20th August. These were the Division’s first battles and it sustained heavy losses: in the first two days in action, 656 were killed or wounded and 66 tanks destroyed. By the end of the Normandy campaign, the casualty toll had reached 325 KIA and 1002 WIA.
(Major General S Maczek).
10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade.
1st Armoured Regiment.
2nd Armoured Regiment.
24th Polish Uhlan Regiment.
10th Dragoons Regiment.
3rd Infantry Brigade.
1st Podhale Rifles Battalion.
8th Rifle Battalion.
9th Rifle Battalion.
1st Polish Independent HMG Squadron.
Divisional Troops.
1st Motorised Artillery Regiment.
2nd Motorised Artillery Regiment.
1st Anti-Aircraft Regiment.
10th Mounted Rifle Regiment
HQ, Military Police, Engineers. Signals.
Administration, military court, chaplaincy, reserve squadrons, medical services.