Military Model Scene

Title: First Polish Armoured Division 1938-47
Author: Evan McGilvray & Janusz Jarzembowski
Publisher: Pen & Sword
ISBN: 978-1-52672-415-1

This history of the First Polish Armoured Division is an interesting new book, detailing the story of this famous unit. A joint effort where the text is accompanied by a large number of archive images from the collection of Janusz Jarzembowski, including a few pages of colour plates. A 296-page hardcover book from Pen & Sword.
It begins in Poland, with the Polish 10th Mechanised Cavalry Brigade, their role in the defence of Poland and their subsequent escape to France, where they again fought against the invading German forces, before the remnants, and their commander Stanislaw Maczek escaped to the UK. It goes on through their training and transformation into the First Polish Armoured Division in the UK in 1942. Back in France in 1944, the division fought alongside Canadian forces during Operation Totalize, but were halted in their offensive by firmly entrenched German defences plus they suffered casualties from Allied heavy bombing raids which missed their intended targets. Things improved though when the division was tasked with closing the neck of the Falaise Pocket, where they had some space and operated in armour and infantry combined groups as they established themselves on the high ground of The Mace. The book gives a lot of detail on how they got on, and just what they faced from German units attempting to break out. It doesn't end there though, as once the pocket was sealed, they moved on, crossing the Seine and still working alongside Canadian forces, went on through the Pas de Calais and on into Belgium and Holland before they finally reached Germany itself. Plenty of fighting along the way, when the retreating German units fought numerous delaying actions at the many river and canal crossings along the way.
I found this a really interesting account of the story of the Polish 1st Armoured Division, with lots of detail of their story from the German invasion of Poland in 1939 right through to the end of the war. Well illustrated throughout with archive images which give plenty of good references for modellers as well. Perhaps the one minor frustration I had in places were references to units moving to a particular map reference, whereas in other it named the towns and villages along the way. With no maps included that makes it a bit awkward to follow at times I thought and must assume they were notes taken from the unit records. Overall, a really good book and a great story which goes well beyond just the story of the Mace and the closing of the Falaise Pocket.
Thanks to Pen & Sword for the review copy.

Robin