The 24th Division, commanded by Colonel Boleslaw Maria Krzyzanowski, remained in the first days of the war in reserve. On September 3 transported to the area of
Tarnów and
Dębica, where it was supposed to man the line
Pilzno -
Szynwald -
Tuchów. Attached to the
Karpaty Army, on September 6 it was engaged in heavy fighting with advancing 4th Light Division of the
Wehrmacht. In the evening of that day, General
Kazimierz Fabrycy ordered the Division to withdraw towards the
Wisłoka and defend the main west–east route from
Kraków to
Lwów. On September 7, marching Polish units were ambushed by the Germans near Tuchów, who managed to destroy several battalions. After the attack, Colonel Boleslaw Maria Krzyzanowski lost his ability to command the Division and was replaced by Colonel Boleslaw Schwarzenberg-Czerny. Contrary to orders of General Fabrycy, the Division retreated further eastwards, towards the
San. Between September 11 and 12, 1939, the Poles were engaged in heavy fighting with
German Second Mountain Division near
Bircza. The Germans managed to break Polish positions in the evening of September 12, therefore southern wing of defence of Przemyśl was opened. Retreating towards Lwów, the 24th kept on repulsing German attacks, reaching
Mosciska on September 15. Two days later, General
Kazimierz Sosnkowski, who commanded Polish troops in the area, ordered all units to break to Lwów. First groups of Polish soldiers reached the besieged city on September 17 in the evening. On September 18, when news of
Soviet attack on
eastern Poland reached General Sosnkowski, he decided to change plans. Instead of breaking to Lwów, Sosnkowski ordered the soldiers to form small groups and try to reach Hungary. Heavy equipment and vehicles were destroyed, and those soldiers who did not wish to fight any more, were let go. Meanwhile, units of the 24th were fighting
5th Panzer Division in the area of Rzesna Ruska. Soon afterwards, Soviet tanks appeared around Lwów, and General Sosnkowski decided to dismiss the Division, which ceased to exist. == Operation Tempest ==