$  Problems related to the production of tanks in Poland forced the military headquarters to make an effort  $
$to purchase armoured equipment abroad. The negotiations with the French party led to the signing an         $
$agreement under which the French undertook to supply with a batch of Renault R-35 tanks along with necessary$
$accessories, ammunition and spare parts. Based on new equipment the 21st battalion of tanks was created in  $
$Luck within the 12th armoured battalion. It was composed of 45 R-35 tanks. In 1939 the squad was only in its$
$organisational stage. It reached its fighting readiness after the commencement of war operations. At the    $
$beginning the battalion was to be included in the 10th Motorised Cavalry Brigade of colonel Maczek as       $
$additional armoured equipment. However due to the damage of railway network in the area of troops passage,  $
$the squad was forced to march on foot. Extremely quick changes of situation at the front after the 17th of  $
$September related to Soviet aggression caused that the 21st tank battalion has never reached the 10th       $
$Motorised Cavalry Brigade. Based on successive orders the troop directed itself to the Romanian border along$
$with a group of other armies. While marching it was disturbed by operations of Ukrainian guerrilla fighters.$
$Due to the lack of fuel and the necessity of far motorised marches the number of troop soldiers seriously   $
$decreased. During the last decade of September the remains of the 21st tank battalion crossed the Romanian  $
$border. The Renault-35 tank has been designed as an infantry support tank. It was a typical production of   $
$French doctrine of using armoured troops. It had a rather thick armour (from 15 to 45 mm), however its speed$
$was not very high. The tank was armed with a 35 mm cannon. The cannon could be used to fight enemy troops of$
$and non-armoured vehicles. However in fights with armoured arms of the enemy it was practically useless,    $
$since bullets had too little impact in order to get through the armour of a tank. Before the war there were $
$negotiations held concerning the so-called cavalry tanks H-35. As far as their external appearance is       $
$concerned they were slightly different from R-35 tanks. However their speed was higher and therefore they   $
$could be used for manoeuvre operations. Polish tankers met with R-35 and H-35 type tanks not earlier than   $
$in 1940 in France. Such machines formed the basic equipment of tank battalions of Colonel Maczek's 10th     $
$Armoured Cavalry Brigade.                                                                                   $
