Legiony - The Charge of Rokitna: 13 June 1915 [1]

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The Charge of Rokitna (Polish: Szarża pod Rokitną) was a charge of a cavalry squadron of the 2nd Brigade of Polish Legions, fighting for the Austro-Hungarian Army. It took place on June 13, 1915 near the village of Rokytne, which at that time was part of Bessarabia Governorate (Russian Empire). A Polish squadron of 70 uhlans, led by Rittmeister Zbigniew Dunin-Wasowicz, attacked positions of the Imperial Russian Army. The battle resulted in a Polish pyrrhic victory: out of 70 soldiers, Poles lost 17 KIA and 23 wounded. Russian losses are unknown.

On June 12, 1915, the 2nd Brigade operated in the area of the villages Ridkivtsi, Austrian Bukovina and Rokytne, Russian Bessarabia. On both sides of it were units of the Austro-Hungarian Army: all forces initiated a joint attack on Russian positions. Despite heavy fighting, Polish and Austrian regiments failed to achieve their objectives.

On June 13 in early afternoon, the Russians began their advance from positions in the area of Rokitna. In order to halt the enemy, Austrian headquarters ordered Rittmeister Dunin-Wasowicz to carry out an attack with both uhlan squadrons of the 2nd Legions Brigade. They were to advance along the left wing, supporting Austrian infantry which simultaneously would attack Russian trenches.

Rittmeister Dunin-Wasowicz personally headed the charge: after crossing muddy banks of the Rokitnianka river, 3rd squadron was kept in reserve, while 2nd squadron charged. Within 15 minutes, Polish uhlans broke through three lines of Russian trenches. Polish losses were very high, but their sacrifice was not utilized, as the Austrian infantry failed to advance. Among those killed in action were Dunin-Wasowicz himself, also Colonel Jerzy Topor-Kisielnicki (commandant of 2nd squadron) and his deputy Roman Prawdzic-Wlodek.

On June 15, 1915, at a cemetery in Rarancza, a funeral of uhlans killed in action took place. The service was led by Reverend Jozef Panas, coffin of Dunin-Wasowicz was covered with red cloth with Polish Eagle. Since in the interwar period the cemetery at Rarancza was part of Romania, a Polish ally (see Polish–Romanian Alliance), Romanian 11th Rosiori Regiment took care of the tombs.

In February 1923, exhumation of bodies of Polish soldiers took place. All remains were transported to Poland, and on February 26, 1923, in Kraków, an official funeral took place, with such notable figures present at the ceremony, as Józef Piłsudski and Cardinal Adam Sapieha. Pilsudski posthumously awarded Virtuti Militari 5th Class to all soldiers. After the funeral, all coffins were transported to Rakowicki Cemetery. Two years later, a monument of the uhlans was unveiled there.

The Charge of Rokitna was the basis for a zurawiejka, "Song of the Squadron of Wasowicz". It also is mentioned in The Red Poppies on Monte Cassino, one of the best-known Polish military songs of World War II.

On the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Warsaw, the charge is mentioned as "ROKITNA 13 VI 1915".
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Legiony – polski film wojenny, którego akcja osadzona jest w realiach walki o niepodległość podczas I wojny światowej, wyprodukowany w 2019 roku, w reżyserii Dariusza Gajewskiego, z Sebastianem Fabijańskim, Bartoszem Gelnerem i Wiktorią Wolańską w rolach głównych.
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LONG LIFE POLAND !! A true and friendly regards from 🇷🇴 Romania ....

savinpopa
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Long live to Poland ❤️🇵🇱 !
From an Italian living in Wrocław!

silverdollar
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4:50 that guy is pretty good, managed to shoot twice without even closing the bolt.

Lappmogel
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Until recently, I had no idea of Poland's amazing military history. The Winged Hussars never lost a fight in almost 200 years, the Polish cavalry at Waterloo beat the British cavalry (A feat largely thought impossible by military experts), the Uhlans here
If I was trapped militarily and I heard Polish cavalry was on the way, I'd just sit back ands enjoy the show!

johnhannibal
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The Poles did not wear the uniforms of the Uhlan, but the Hungarian hussars, only in gray and did not have a hat, but they wore the camp caps of the Hungarian hussars( not Csakó)! Plus their mentality was not corded! But the basket version of the Hungarian saber is voted there in the same way! They were worthy of it, as in Báthory's time! God blesses the Polish people!

balazsnagy
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My grandfather was Polish, in ww1 he was in the Austrian army I believe fighting against the Russians, then in 1920 under the newly independent Polish flag fought the Russians again.

eternallearner
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Historical fact:
Poles was fighting in all off the sides of conflict during World War I, and many times happened Polish people fights against Polish people, because we was under Great Occupation at this time due to partitions of Poland, and people of every part of Poland, depends what army that was, had to be enlisted into army, no matter that Russian, German or Austrian army it was.

EemDee-
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Man, there is nothing cooler than the Horsemen Charging.

Eviligniter
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Polish people have endured so much. Respect to the fighting spirit that the poles have.they do not go down without a true fight

brentgraves
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This shot [3:12 - 3:21] is so magnificent. The cavalryman that charges against the cannons, a millenary tradition of warfare that faces the sinister technological progress. Just pure poetry.

ayoubmonno
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I’m polish and I love this. Poland has always fought hard for her freedom and for her allies throughout its history. Long live Poland 🇵🇱

Jwzey
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Rtm. Zbigniew Dunin-Wąsowicz, the leader of the cavalry squadrons of Polish Legions who died in this charge was actually a grandson of Mikołaj Dunin-Wąsowicz who was a chevau-léger in the Polish Light Cavalry Regiment of the Imperial Guard under Napoleon and was part of the famous charge at Somosierra in 1808. He himself served in 13. Regiment of Galician Uhlans before WW1, which was famed for it's charge at the battle of Custoza in 1866.

TheGeneralGrievous
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The music in this is absolutely phenomenal. THIS is how it should be done and not like the stupid trailer for the movie with pop music...

anonymouschantroll
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I really don't get why everyone here is "oh no, that's not possible, it couldn't happen in real life!"
But... it did. It did happen, as historical sources state.

So...

kacperz
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Respect and love Poland from Hungary! :3

szakacsdavid
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I love Poland and we Americans are SO grateful to have Polska as Allies and friends. Poland's reputation in battle is legendary. When I was a teenager Lech Walesa became a personal hero of mine as well as those other heroic men in Gdansk. Long Live Poland!

tennesseeridgerunner
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My highest respect.
Salutes the brave fallen.

misterangel
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1808 - the most famous and effective 19 century cavalry charge by Polish Ulans=Ułani. Short film about Samosierra charge as above . I am writing this because in this film the Polish soldiers before the Rokitna Battle talking about Samosierra battle in 1808 as the pattern of bravery with no fear -that is why at Rokitna charge you can see the madness of Polish soldiers for they remembered the Samosierra battle 107 yeaar before so they wanted to show in 1915 they were not worse than the Polish Ulans at Samosierra Batle in Spain in 1808 :)

arturkaminski
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The shot at 4:08 is so menacing, despite being outclassed technologically in every way, the cavalry charge is still as dreaded as it was thousands of years before.

mightymayo
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There's nothing quite like Polish Cavalry, I'm going to have to find this movie.

GentlemanBystander
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