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WW1- Polish Legion

WW1- Polish Legion

Posted: 5 Nov 2014 9:04PM GMT
Classification: Military
Edited: 5 Nov 2014 9:06PM GMT
I need some assistance in identifying my grandfather's uniform. He was born in 1901 in Gliny Male, Podkarpackie, Galicia now Poland. He joined the cavalry when he was 15yrs old. Could this be a Polish Legion uniform?
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Re: WW1- Polish Legion

Posted: 17 Nov 2014 2:45AM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 17 Nov 2014 2:48AM GMT
Looks like a 2nd Republic cavalry uniform from very early in the 1920's. The only odd thing is the cap, it does look like the traditional squared off czapka but I can't quite make out if it's a Polish eagle on the cap or something else. He also has the 'pennants" on his collar above the embroidery. Here's a link to a discussion on Polish Legion uniforms.
http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/polish-armed-forces-second-rep...

Re: WW1- Polish Legion

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 10:20PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 29 Nov 2014 5:03AM GMT
Thank you for your response I appreciate your help. Someone had mentioned to me there are three buttons on his tunic and for his rank of Cpl and that should not be the case. Any thoughts?

Re: WW1- Polish Legion

Posted: 30 Nov 2014 8:08PM GMT
Classification: Query
Further to ycaso’s post dating the uniform c1920 and your point about “Someone” indicating the buttons being incompatible with a rank of corporal.

No doubt there will be others but for me the only button rank insignia I’m familiar with are Royal Navy, that today is limited to the senior rating of Chief Petty Officers.

Several web searches for combinations of polish uniform NCO rank cuffs buttons etc., gave several hits that described uniform changes 1919/20 for Polish forces and I’ve posted a couple at the end of this summary:

1] I could not find any reference that related rank to buttons for polish forces.

2] The reference to buttons on cuffs either pre or post 1919 appears to relate to design as being either with buttons or plain; in images most buttoned cuff designs appeared to have 3 buttons.

3] As far as rank insignia for NCOs’ is concerned they would be either horizontal stripes or chevrons that at various times have been on cuffs, upper sleeve or shoulder straps & hats.

4] The hat shown in the picture is showing the two horizontal silver bars of a corporal that are repeated on his shoulder straps.


I think the hats shown in images on this forum depict headgear that could be same as in the photograph.

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=51746&...


This link https://www.google.co.uk/search?tbm=bks&hl=en&q=poli... throws up two Google books of interest.


P49/50 of MILITARY UNIFORMS IN EUROPE 1900 - 2000 Volume One; R Spencer Kidd covers Polish forces and mentions the “considerable variety of uniforms” worn by the Polish army during its early years and the “traditional zigzag” being reinstated to collar patches in 1920

Pages 22-24 of “Armies of the Russo-Polish War 1919–21”; Nigel Thomas, Adam Hook contains as much information to help elimination as help with positive identification. On p24 “Greater Polish Army” there is mention of collar badges depicting army branches of particular interest is “Lancers – regimentally coloured pennants”

Re: WW1- Polish Legion

Posted: 1 Dec 2014 7:16PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thank you Jeff for your additional information and links I appreciate it.
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