Sailors in the 1920 battle of Warsaw. A maritime contribution to victory on land

During today’s commemorations at the Navy Cemetery and the Garrison Church in Oksywie, tribute was paid to the sailors who, in August 1920, stood in defence of an independent Poland. Though their battlefield was not the open sea, they brought the skills, discipline, and resolve of naval service to the Vistula River and the fields outside Warsaw.

history navy news inland shipping

14 august 2025   |   22:15   |   Source: Gazeta Morska   |   Prepared by: Kamil Kusier   |   Print

fot. fot. st. chor. szt. mar. Piotr Leoniak

Among the defenders were crews of the Vistula Flotilla, the Pinsk Flotilla, and other personnel of the newly forming Polish Navy. Often serving as infantry, they manned key river crossings, patrolled the Vistula, and secured the transport of troops and supplies. From the decks of armed river craft, they delivered artillery fire in support of Polish positions and counterattacks.

Their technical expertise, intimate knowledge of inland navigation, and proficiency with weapon systems proved invaluable. In challenging conditions, they undertook operations requiring precision and courage, often playing a decisive role in holding critical defensive lines.

Though small in number, these sailors demonstrated that the spirit of naval service transcends the shoreline — ready to defend the nation wherever duty calls.

Honour and glory to the heroes of the Polish Navy!

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marynarze 1920 Bitwa Warszawska Flotylla Wiślana Marynarka Wojenna historia bohaterowie wojny polsko-bolszewickiej

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