The First Brigade of Polish Legions on the Nida River in 1915

Abstract

After bloody fights on the territory of Galicia, the First Brigade of Polish Legions resume actions in the Kingom of Poland. Since the 3^rd of March to the 10^th  of May 1915, it conducted positional fights, occupying the front line along the western bank of the Nida River opposite the city of Pińczów. At that time the First Brigade, commanded by Józef Piłsudski, operated within the Austrian First Army of general Victor Dankl. Using briefings and operational records of the First Brigade, the article discusses the issues concerning development of the unit. It presents the life on the frontlines: occupation of old and building of new fortifications, problems concerning service of the legionaries in the field of discipline, training, co-operation of commanders and subordinates, operation of weapons; various organizational and ordinal actions concerning equipment, armament, staffing of units, sanitary conditions and quartering, helping  the local people work in the fields. There are collected materials to the history of operations of the First Brigade.  The article presents the work of Officers Fund, to which belonged the officers nominated by Piłsudski, in the scope of paying out wages and other tasks. In that period there were formed two units of machine guns, a telephone unit, the artillery was developed and the V and VI battalion were united into the Third Infantry Regiment. The numerical force of the formation was increased. At the beginning of May 1915 it amounted to 5050 people. It was comprised of three infantry regiments, a cavalry unit, a sapper unit, two artillery batteries, three machine guns units, a sanitary unit and other service. Generally it was the time of preparations against offensive announced by the central states. As a result of breaking the front by the Austro-Hungarian and German armies in Gorlice, the Russian army began to retreat. On Nida it happened at night 10-11 of May 1915. There are three annexes attached to the article: the list of killed soldiers of the First Brigade at the time of fights on Nida River, officer staff in March 1915 and a presence state from 10^th  of May 1915. Despite the short stay of the legionaries in Ponidzie, it was significant to the development of division in military and ideological meaning. The soldiers were consolidated around goals assigned by Piłsudski and his collaborators. Their stay among local people resulted in recording themselves in the consciousness of local society. It was expressed in later years through commemorating of local society. It was expressed in later years through commemorating the places of fights of the First brigade Legions in cultural landscape of Kielce region.