page_title: Edmund Roman Orlik
section_title: World War II
hierarchical_section_title: Edmund Roman Orlik / World War II
caption_attribution_description: Polski: Podchorąży Orlik z kierowcą przy tankietce
context_page_description: Edmund Roman Orlik was a Polish architect, and World War II tank commander. During the Invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany in September 1939 he claimed to have destroyed ten German tanks, including one Panzer IV Ausf. B, the largest tank then fielded by Germany, with a 2.6 tonne TKS tankette armed with a 20mm autocannon.
context_section_description: In August 1939 he was mobilized and took part in the September Campaign in the 71st Polish Armored Squadron as a Podchorąży (officer cadet). On 18 September 1939, Orlik took part in the skirmish of Pociecha in the Kampinos Forest, in which three TKS tankettes destroyed three German tanks, two Panzer 35(t)s and a Panzer IV Ausf. B, from the 1. Leichte Division. 
  As a result of the battle the commander of the German platoon and heir to the Duchy of Racibórz, 23-year-old Silesian prince and lieutenant Viktor IV Albrecht Johannes von Ratibor, who rode in the Panzer IV, was killed. There is an established version, coming from Janusz Magnuski's works, based solely on Orlik's accounts, that only Orlik's tankette had a 20mm cannon; the others were equipped with machine-guns, and Orlik destroyed all three tanks. However, there are other sources, that all three Polish TKS were armed with 20mm cannons. Moreover, a history of Polish armoured weapons written in 1971 in London does not mention Orlik, listing three other participants of the skirmish at Pociecha out of six Polish tankers (names: Tritt, Pachocki and Łopatka). 
  The next day Orlik and his unit participated in the battle of Sieraków. During the night, the Germans were repelled by the Polish 9th Uhlan Regiment and 7th Mounted Rifles. However, the Germans counter-attacked with several dozen tanks from the Panzer-Regiment 11 and Panzer-Abteilung 65. During the battle, Orlik claimed to have destroyed 7 tanks with his TKS and took two German tank crewmen prisoners with his service pistol. The Polish forces managed to destroy 20 tanks with artillery support. After the battle, he and his unit retreated east and took part in the Siege of Warsaw. 
  During the Occupation of Poland (1939–45) Orlik was a member of the Home Army.
caption: Podchorąży (officer cadet) Orlik and his driver, Bronisław Zakrzewski, near their TKS tankette
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