Need help please

[ste ski]

Hi, after the death of my grandfather I have inherited his Polish badges and insignia from his war service (1940-45).I know he came from the Siberian salt mines, through Palestine eventually onto Scotland (1940ish) and on into Western Europe.

He was in the 1st armoured battalion (the winged hussars on the left) but I cannot find anything about the badge on the right?

Could anyone be so kind as to enlighten me, and how the two correlate please so I can start the long process of tracing his war story.

Kindest regards

Stephen.

photo0162.jpg

[ianh67military]

The cloth badge is the sleeve badge of the 1st Polish Armoured Division. The Polish Cavalry wore, in days when Cavalry were the thing to have rather than Panzers, a pair of feathered wings on their back. Imagine the impact on the oppositions horses (and men) of being attacked by big birds riding on the back of horses. The Poles also wore a black shoulder eppaulette on the left of their battledress jackets, and I was told that it was in remembrance of their dead.

The metal badge is a pocket badge from one of the sub units.Note the same winged hussar helmet badge plus some letters to ID the unit. I'll have a look when I can track down either my books or there was a splendid article in a very early issue of Military Illustrated magazine (a long time ago).

There are some stunning books on the Polish 1st Armoured in France. A Pole told me that the reason they took so many photos was because they took all the cameras off the Germans and used them themselves.

Ian H

[Empire collector]

Not a Polish expert but I have the right hand badge as....

metal breast badge of 9th Flanders Rifle Battalion part of the 3rd Rifle Brigade of the 1st Polish Armoured Division 1943-47

Alan

[Sunray9]

Very Best of Luck with the project Ste Ski ... please keep us updated.

Ritchie.

[ianh67military]

A quick google confirms that. Thanks for saving me hunting through the bedroom ful of books! Does the OP 's example have a number engraved on the back and a plain spinner? A rare and valuable badge with provenance, so please ensure his name, photograph and any paperwork remains with it.
I think Polish badges from WW2 are amongst the best examples made. I would love to collect them, but other than my Uncles and few lucky finds, they've remained beyond my rather limited reach.

Ian H

[Tigerlily]

Originally Posted by ianh67military

A quick google confirms that. Thanks for saving me hunting through the bedroom ful of books! Does the OP 's example have a number engraved on the back and a plain spinner? A rare and valuable badge with provenance, so please ensure his name, photograph and any paperwork remains with it.
I think Polish badges from WW2 are amongst the best examples made. I would love to collect them, but other than my Uncles and few lucky finds, they've remained beyond my rather limited reach.

Ian H

Agreed Ian, I love the Polish badges too, really attractive items, have been lucky enough to get my hands on some, sadly I had to give them back, but definitely something I would love to collect at some point.

Alli

[ste ski]

Originally Posted by ianh67military

A quick google confirms that. Thanks for saving me hunting through the bedroom ful of books! Does the OP 's example have a number engraved on the back and a plain spinner? A rare and valuable badge with provenance, so please ensure his name, photograph and any paperwork remains with it.
I think Polish badges from WW2 are amongst the best examples made. I would love to collect them, but other than my Uncles and few lucky finds, they've remained beyond my rather limited reach.

Ian H

Hi Ian, I'm awaiting the badges through the post so I'm not sure what the backs are like. I will let you all know when I receive them.

[ste ski]

Thank you all for your help and advice, what I'm discovering is truly inspiring and deeply saddening in equal measure. Just imagine at the age of 17 being forcibly taken from your home, marched hundreds of miles and put to work in a Siberian salt mine, at 17 !. That's why communities like this play such an important role, each and every badge and medal has its own story.

Many thanks Stephen.

[Gurkha]

My uncle served in that very unit.
Regards

Steve M