Śmiały ( armoured train ) The armoured train Śmiały ( Polish for " Bold " ) , also called armoured train number 53 was a Polish armoured train used by the Polish Army during the German Invasion of Poland in September 1939 . The train is famous for having served under four flags - Austrian , Polish , Soviet and German and its participation in several wars in the period from 1914 to 1945 . Śmiały distinguished itself in the Battle of Mokra , after which it withdrew eastwards , taking part in the Battle of Brześć Litewski . After Polish defeat , the train moved via Kowel to Lwów , where it fought in the Battle of Lwów . On September 22 , 1939 , abandoned by its crew , it was seized by the Red Army . History . In November 1918 near Kraków , Poles captured an Austrian armoured train . It was renamed Śmiały and immediately entered service . Soon afterwards it was sent to Lwów to fight against the Ukrainians in the Polish - Ukrainian War . In the interbellum period up , the train was stationed in the " 2 . Dywizjon Pociągów Pancernych ( 2nd Battalion of Armoured Trains ) " located in Niepołomice near Kraków . As all other Polish armoured trains of the period it was modernised by receiving improved wagons and a Ti3 type armoured locomotive . Before the outbreak of World War Two , the train had two howitzers ( 100 mm ) , two cannons ( 75 mm ) , and 19 heavy machine guns . World War II . On August 27 , the train , commanded by Captain Mieczysław Malinowski , was sent from Niepołomice towards Polish - German border , where it patrolled rail line Kłobuck - Działoszyn - Chorzew Siemkowice - Nowa Brzeźnica . " Śmiały " was assigned to the Łódź Army , to support Volhynian Cavalry Brigade . In the night of August 31 / September 1 , 1939 , the train left for Chorzew Siemkowice , where it arrived at 5 a . m . During the Battle of Mokra , it supported the 21st Uhlan Regiment , which fought the advancing German 4th Panzer Division . After destroying a number of tanks , the train itself was hit , and forced to retreat to Działoszyn . On September 2 , after several skirmishes with German units , the train left for Łask , and on the next day it found itself in Łódź , from where it moved to Koluszki , awaiting orders . In the evening of September 5 , Polish units began a general retreat , and " Śmiały " left towards Skierniewice , Łowicz , and Warsaw . On September 8 , the train arrived at Siedlce , then via Łuków it came to Brześć nad Bugiem , arriving there on September 14 . Near the station of Żabinka , " Śmiały " repulsed the attack of the 10th Panzer Division . In the afternoon of September 14 , the Wehrmacht captured main rail station at Brześć , and " Śmiały " withdrew to Kowel , then to Łuck , where it arrived on September 16 . On the next day , after news of the Soviet invasion of Poland reached its crew , the train headed southwards , to Lwów , where it arrived on September 18 . " Śmiały " operated in the area of Lwów - Łyczaków rail station , supporting Polish infantry in the Battle of Lwów . On September 19 , it took part in a raid on Kamionka Strumiłowa , returning to the Lwów - Podzamcze station in the evening . After capitulation of Polish forces in the city , the train was abandoned by its crew , and seized by the Red Army .