Monte Cassino Commemorative Bracelet

[ray smith]

Hi

I found this Polish commemorative bracelet in Canada and am currently putting together all the formation and cap badges as depicted. I have been very successful up to now but I'm still looking for the three marked with a red cross.

If any member can help in any way I would be more than obliged.

Regards
Ray Smith

[Mike Jackson]

The three you marked - L to R - are:
The fuselage and wing insignia of the Polish Air Force (carried in a miniature form on aircraft of Polish squadrons operating within the RAF)
6th (Lwowska) Polish Inf Bde
Combined Operations
I don't know where you would find a representation of the first, but genuine examples of the other two are still to be found. Polish insignia is heavily reproduced and since the Combined Operations sign has been in use for over 60 years it's not that easy to find/identify a WW2 example.

[Mike Jackson]

Originally Posted by Mike Jackson

The three you marked - L to R - are:
The fuselage and wing insignia of the Polish Air Force (carried in a miniature form on aircraft of Polish squadrons operating within the RAF)
6th (Lwowska) Polish Inf Bde
Combined Operations
I don't know where you would find a representation of the first, but genuine examples of the other two are still to be found. Polish insignia is heavily reproduced and since the Combined Operations sign has been in use for over 60 years it's not that easy to find/identify a WW2 example.

6th Polish Inf Bde

img179.jpg

[ray smith]

Hi Mike

Thank you very much for your help with this.

I've attached a picture of the collection for you to see. If you have the time would you be able to advise how I might validate these as genuine.

Much obliged.

Ray

[Mike Jackson]

Originally Posted by ray smith

Hi Mike

Thank you very much for your help with this.

I've attached a picture of the collection for you to see. If you have the time would you be able to advise how I might validate these as genuine.

Much obliged.

Ray

Ray,
I'm no expert of Polish insignia - your collection looks very much like mine. The two we both have which give me some concern are on the left the red griffin on white w/blue border (7 Polish Inf Bde) and on the right the upper example of the two examples of 5 Polish Inf Div (the bison). Both these signs look just too good to be true. The lower bison is in my opinion genuine. I think that Polish parachute insignia has to be treated with great circumspection. I believe that many of the WW2 Polish badges have been reproduced not so much for collectors as for veterans - which may account for the very high quality of some non-period pieces. Sorry to be so vague, but I'm sure that a true Polish expert will be out on the Forum somewhere.
Mike

[BWEF]

Originally Posted by Mike Jackson

Ray,
I'm no expert of Polish insignia - your collection looks very much like mine. The two we both have which give me some concern are on the left the red griffin on white w/blue border (7 Polish Inf Bde) and on the right the upper example of the two examples of 5 Polish Inf Div (the bison). Both these signs look just too good to be true. The lower bison is in my opinion genuine. I think that Polish parachute insignia has to be treated with great circumspection. I believe that many of the WW2 Polish badges have been reproduced not so much for collectors as for veterans - which may account for the very high quality of some non-period pieces. Sorry to be so vague, but I'm sure that a true Polish expert will be out on the Forum somewhere.
Mike

I can confirm that, I think.

I saw large numbers of Polish badges for sale in the foyer of a Polish veterans club in London about 20 years ago.

[Mike Jackson]

I think that these are all authentic examples from 2 Polish Corps in Italy:
img187.jpgimg188.jpgimg189.jpgimg190.jpg

Originally Posted by Mike Jackson

I think that these are all authentic examples from 2 Polish Corps in Italy:
Attachment 44531Attachment 44532Attachment 44533Attachment 44534

yes mike the badges are all good one nice combo

peter