A pyrrhic Polish cavalry victory near Rokytne in 1915, illustrating the lethal cost of mounted charges against entrenched modern infantry positions.
Key Facts
- Date
- June 13, 1915
- Squadron size
- 70 uhlans
- Polish killed
- 17 soldiers
- Polish wounded
- 23 soldiers
- Commander
- Rittmeister Zbigniew Dunin-Wasowicz
- Formation
- 2nd Brigade of Polish Legions
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During World War I, the 2nd Brigade of Polish Legions served within the Austro-Hungarian Army on the Eastern Front. In June 1915, military operations brought a Polish cavalry squadron into contact with Imperial Russian Army positions near the village of Rokytne in Bessarabia Governorate, prompting an offensive action.
On June 13, 1915, a squadron of 70 Polish uhlans led by Rittmeister Zbigniew Dunin-Wasowicz launched a direct cavalry charge against entrenched Russian positions near Rokytne. The attack achieved its immediate tactical objective but at severe cost, with 17 men killed and 23 wounded out of the 70-man force.
The engagement resulted in a pyrrhic victory for the Polish side, with casualties amounting to 57 percent of the attacking force. Russian losses were not recorded. The charge became a noted episode in Polish military memory, symbolizing the bravery and sacrifice of the Polish Legions during the First World War.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Zbigniew Dunin-Wasowicz.
Side B
1 belligerent