The Battle of Kock was the final battle in the invasion of Poland at the beginning of World War II in Europe. It took place between 2–5 October 1939, near the town of Kock, in Poland.[2]: 12, 84
The Polish Independent Operational Group Polesie, led by General Franciszek Kleeberg, fought the German XIV Motorized Corps, led by General Gustav Anton von Wietersheim.
Before the battle[edit]
The Polish battle plan was disorganized due to few officers being available. The Wehrmacht had destroyed the Polish reserve and forced it to withdraw. Having taken heavy losses, the Polish armies retreated to Kraków and the Vistula river. From there, they took the route from Warsaw to Sandomierz. From Sandomierz, they were able to move on to the Lublin area.
The eastern edge of the Vistula was defended by Lublin's weak army. The Polish forces were only camped in areas where they could cross the river easily (in case of an attack). Other German forces advanced to the Vistula and went on towards Zamość and Volodymyr-Volynskyi.
The Polish Army at Kraków and Małopolska suffered heavy losses, and did not reach the San river front. Therefore, they were unable to organize a proper defense. Marshal Rydz Śmigły was tasked with the defense of southern Poland. The commander of army area IX Brześć, General Kleeberg, was responsible for the defense of the line from Pińsk to Brześć.