Polish armoured train Pancerka "Kabicz" of the Third Silesian Uprising

Armoured train Kabicz with the crew [National Digital Archive NAC]

The "Kabicz" with the crew

From among numerous Polish armoured trains formed during the Third Silesian Uprising in 1921, arguably the one that arouses the greatest interest is the smallest of them – the “Kabicz”, also known as the “Pancerka Kabicz”. It was a peculiar unit because it was one of the few narrow-gauge armoured trains in the world. Fortunately, good quality photos of this train have survived, so it became one of more widely known units of the uprising, although paradoxically little is known about its fate.

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History

Blessing of the Kabicz armoured train [Silesian Digital Library]

The "Pancerka Kabicz" during a blessing ceremony. The wagon has markings of P.St.E.V. and Katowitz managment, as well as occasional inscriptions, probably crew names

Field mass at the armoured train Kabicz [Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe]

A field mass by the train, apparently in the same place as above from the other side. Both wagons on that side have only "Kabicz" name. Noteworthy is a funny scribbled skull and crossbones, and some similar drawing on the other wagon

Unfortunately, the only photograph showing a wider perspective, and two additional wagons

The train with a part of its insurgent crew, on a different occasion. In the middle, with crossed hands, battalion (and the train') commander 2nd. lt. Edmund Kabicz. A photograph from the same occasion with a full crew is at the top. Note a variety of insurgent's outfits. This time only the locomotive has "Panc. Kabicz" name painted

A close-up on the locomotive from the same photo session.

A specificity of the Upper Silesia region, which belonged to the German Empire during a period of intensive 19th-century industrialization, was the extensive network of public Upper Silesian Narrow Gauge Railways (Oberschlesische Schmalspurbahnen, OSSB), used to transport raw materials and semi-finished products between industrial plants. It had otherwise non typical track gauge of 785 mm (30 Prussian inches). In addition, there were standard gauge railways for long-distance freight and passenger traffic. After the end of World War I, Upper Silesia became a disputed area between Germany and Poland, which had regained independence. In 1919 and 1920, there were two uprisings of the pro-Polish population, after which the future of the area and principles of its division were to be decided by a plebiscite. Due to a falsification of its results leading to awarding of most of the territory to Germany, the largest Third Silesian Uprising broke out on 2 May 1921, led by Wojciech Korfanty, lasting until 5 July. An important role was played by insurgent armoured trains, all but one standard gauge ones.

The narrow-gauge armoured train "Kabicz", also known as "Pancerka Kabicz", was built in an unknown industrial plant in Gliwice (Gleiwitz) area. Its name came from the 2nd Lt. Edmund Kabicz, a commandant of the Polish Military Organisation of Upper Silesia in Opole district, and during the uprising, the commander of the 2nd battalion in the 4th (7th) Gliwice Regiment. A Pancerka was a colloquial old-fashioned Polish name for an armoured vehicle, roughly an equivalent of an ironclad. The train was undoubtedly built on an initiative of Lt. Kabicz, who had graduated from an officer school of railway arms in Kraków in 1919. It was used by Kabicz's battalion blocking Gliwice, and initially stationed in Schönwald (now Bojków in Gliwice). In mid-June 1921 the train was blessed by Father Emanuel Krzoska, but it is not clear, if it occured right after its commissioning, or rather after some service period. Shortly afterwards Kabicz's battalion was relieved by Chorzów (Konigshutte) Regiment, leaving the armoured train. Reportedly, Kabicz's battalion tried to "sell" the train to the new unit in exchange for vehicle or arms. However, there is no detailed information about the train's service known. It is noteworthy, that a part of Gliwice - Racibórz line, on which the train operated, near Rudy, has been preserved as a tourist line Górnośląskie Koleje Wąskotorowe.

It should be noted, that the greater role in the Third Silesian Uprising was played by standard-gauge armoured trains, belonging to regular insurgent units, especially the "Północ" (North) Group.

Composition

The narrow-gauge improvised armoured train "Kabicz" consisted of an armoured locomotive and two infantry wagons only. The train's camouflage is unknown – it can be assumed that the wagons were in original civilian brown livery of coal wagons, while the locomotive might have been in a natural steel or grey colour. A chronology of photographs is not sure, but it is probable, that initially wagons bore no name and only on the locomotive there was a white shortened name "Panc. Kabicz" painted. During the blessing ceremony the name was neatly painted, probably in red letters, on painted in a light colour rectangular opening segments of wagon walls – in both wagons on both sides it was the segment closer to the front of the train (moving boiler forward). It is peculiar, that on left side the name was: "Kabicz.", and on right side: "Panc. Kabicz". Also on the locomotive there was a little contrasting name: "Panc. Kabicz", also probably in red.

Drawing by A. Jońca / J. Magnuski (corrected)

Drawing: wagons by A. Jońca (modified)
locomotive: basing upon J. Magnuski

Locomotive

According to a traditional belief in a literature, the train used a narrow-gauge tank locomotive Prussian T37 Class of Oberschlesische Schmalspurbahnen^[1,2]. It had D (0-4-0T) axle arrangement, power 200 hp, and worked on a saturated steam. Overall length was 6520 mm. Starting from 1902 through ten years 22 locomotives were made, belonging to two differing types: two of Hartmann design and 20 of Orenstein & Koeppel design (two of which were built by Hagans). Eight were used after World war I by Germnan Railways as DRG 99⁴⁰ class.

However, closer examination of photograps indicates, that most probably the train used a tank locomotive made by Borsig, with C1' (0-3-1T) axle arrangement, of a former private Gliwice – Rudy – Racibórz railway (Kleinbahn Gleiwitz – Rauden – Ratibor). Four such locomotives were bought in 1904 (factory nos. 5368–5371) and two in 1907. After World War II they served on PKP Polish Railways in Txb2 class. We have no closer specifications, a length seems to be over 7 m.

The locomotive was fully protected with steel sheets (not of armoured steel). Sides were vertical, while the top formed a gable roof, with a gentler profile over the driver's cabin, and a sharper profile over the boiler. Above the boiler, the armour reached to the barely protruding top of the chimney.

Related links:
Rolling stock on Upper Silesian Narrow Gauge Railways site

Wagons

The train had two identical wagons, built upon small steel Ziehl system hopper 8-ton coal wagons, typical for Upper Silesian railways. A box was 4 m long. External walls remained original, probably reinforced by a concrete or double walls. The wagons were fitted with significant gable roofs, but internal height must have been no more than some 1.7 m. An entrance was in a rear wall – on the side of the locomotive, from the uncovered brake platform. Photographs indicate that only one wall had two rectangular embrasures, while the opposite wall had a smaller square covered loophole. There was also a rectangular embrasure in the front wall. J. Magnuski claimed, that each of the wagons had mountings for four heavy machine guns (thus implying such armament, presumably the most common 7.9 mm Maxim MG 08). However, this raises doubts, because this author wrongly assumed there were two embrasures in each wall. In addition, none of photographs shows any visible armament, and in group commemoration photographs the crew does not "boast" of machine guns, as sometimes happened. The embrasures could be used for repeating rifles or machine guns if the train crew had one (and the insurgents did not suffer from an abundance of machine guns).

On one low quality photograph only there are visible two additional wagons, probably wooden coal wagons, with much lower gabble roofs, without loop-holes. It is not clear what was their purpose (an internal height was apparently little more than 1 m, what would have made not much sense in infantry wagons).

Sources:
1. Janusz Magnuski: Pociąg pancerny „Zygmunt Powstaniec”, series: Typy Broni i Uzbrojenia nr. 71, Warsaw: Wydawnictwo MON, 1981
2. Janusz Niemczuk: Pociąg pancerny „Kabicz” i jego dowódca, in: "Śląsk" Nr. 5/2013

Updated:

2025. 01. 21 - minor additions, new photograph, improved drawing, new locomotive information.
2024. 12. 24 - page created.

Our thanks to Krzysztof Margasiński and Adam Jońca

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