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Battle of Radom
Part ofInvasion of Poland
Bitwa ilza 1939
Date 8–9 September 1939 Location Iłża nearRadom,Kielce Voivodeship,Poland 51°9′43.999″N21°14′12.998″E / 51.16222194°N 21.23694389°E /51.16222194; 21.23694389 Result German victory
Belligerents
Germany	Poland
Commanders and leaders
Walther von Reichenau Adolf-Friedrich Kuntzen	Stanisław Skwarczyński
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown
class=notpageimage| Location within Masovian Voivodeship Show map of Masovian Voivodeship Battle of Radom (Poland) Show map of Poland

TheBattle of Radom, also known as theBattle of Iłża, was part of theInvasion of Poland during theSecond World War. It lasted from 8 September 1939 to 9 September 1939.^[1] Polish troops of thePrusy Army, under GeneralStanisław Skwarczyński, defended the city of Iłża and the road from Sandomierz to Radom. The Poles were not ready to meet head on overwhelming GermanXV Army Corps (GeneralHermann Hoth), and were easily defeated after two days of fighting.Prusy Army, in the aftermath of the battle, ceased to exist. Some of the army's units joined other tactical groupings of the Polish armed forces.

Armia Prusy, which was regarded as strategic reserve of Polish forces, remained deep behind front line, and was not planned to enter the battle before mid-September. To the surprise of Polish headquarters, after the first week of fighting, motorized and panzer units of German10th Army broke through a gap betweenArmy Krakow andArmy Lodz, nearCzestochowa, and marched northwards toWarsaw.

The battle began when southern wing of Prusy Army, which consisted of three infantry divisions (3rd Legions Infantry,12th Infantry and36th Infantry), together withOperational GroupKielce, clashed with motorized forces of German 10th Army, which blocked the routes towards theVistula river.

On September 8, 7th Polish Infantry Regiment (3rd Division), supported by two artillery batteries, captured Ilza. Its battalions were scattered around the town, while 12th Infantry Division was located in northern parts of theStarachowice Forest, next to an armored regiment ofKrakow Cavalry Brigade. First contact of 3rd Infantry Division with the enemy took place at midday. East of Ilza, German motorized units were halted by Polish regiments. The Germans regrouped and attacked again, but failed to break through Polish lines.

Soon afterwards, German3rd Light Division entered the battle, but its advance was also checked, near the village ofPilatka. Another German assault was halted near the village ofKotlarka, and the enemy had to retreat southwards, to the road Ilza -Lipsko. At app. 3 p.m., German tanks were repelled nearTrebowiec Duzy, and finally, after artillery barrage, the Germans attacked Ilza, at 6 p.m. Polish 7th Infantry Regiment had to retreat, and managed only to keep its positions near the ruins of the Ilza Castle.

Surrounded by the Wehrmacht, 12th Infantry Division attempted to break out. Despite initial success of 52nd Infantry Regiment, which destroyed large quantities of German equipment, the enemy checked the Poles. By nightfall of September 8, 3rd Legions Infantry was ordered to march towardsCzerwona, while 12th Infantry, divided into two columns, headed towardsCiecierowka.

In the morning of September 9, remains of the 3rd Legions Division, commanded by ColonelStanislaw Tatar, were located in a forest by Czerwona. Smaller groups of Polish soldiers tried to get into theKozienice Forest, but most failed. At the same time, 12th Infantry had difficulty in reaching the Starachowice Forest, as in the night German forces had been reinforced. Northern column of 12th Infantry was stuck near Kotlarka, as its morning attack was checked by the enemy.

Southern column, which was to march towardsMichalow, had to wait for its 51st Infantry Regiment, commanded by ColonelEmil August Fieldorf. The regiment was stuck on local roads, and the column finally set off at 5 a.m., but soon afterwards was checked nearStary Rzechow. Under the circumstances, Generals Skwarczynski and Paszkiewicz gathered their officers in the village ofPiotrowe Pole, and decided to break their units into small groups, heading towards theVistula. As a result of this decision, Operational Group of General Skwarczynski de facto ceased to exist.

During the entire battle,Wolfram von Richthofen, had sent in 135Junkers Ju 87 to bomb the Polish positions.^[1]

The Battle of Ilza / Radom is commemorated on theTomb of the Unknown Soldier, Warsaw, with the inscription "ILZA 8 IX 1939"

• History of Poland (1939–1945)
• List of World War II military equipment of Poland
• List of German military equipment of World War II

• Battles of the Invasion of Poland
• Kielce Voivodeship (1919–1939)
• September 1939 in Europe
• Radom in World War II
• Battles of World War II involving Germany

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