Small Wars pre-1914: Canadian input

[davidbfpo]

In the post-Versailles Agreement one of the disputed areas between Germany and Poland was Upper Silesia, an industrial area equivalent to the Ruhr Valley; with a mainly Polish population, but with assets managed and owned by Germans (a very short explanation). An Allied military force, mainly French, with some Italians and British were deployed - the British were withdrawn at one point. In May 1921 there was a Polish revolt and two British infantry brigades were dispatched - led by Heneker - as peacemakers trying to resolve the decision of a plebiscite, amidst "ethnic cleansing", led by a pro-Polish French general and a long way from any "friendlies" (again a summary).

Heneker encouraged his command to learn the lessons from operations in an unknown area, heavily wooded in a temperate climate and gathering intelligence - presumably difficult as so few would have spoken English! In June 1922 the allied forces were withdrawn.

See a detailed article in the Society of Army Historical Research, Vol. 95, No. 384 (Winter 2017), pp. 338-364 (27 pages), by Alun Thomas. Link (not free, except via a Library): https://www.jstor.org/stable/4487205...o_tab_contents