3. Regimental insignia of military formations - infantry, cavalry and artillery regiments, tank battalions, aviation and military educational institutions Poland.

4. Uniform and overcoat buttonholes according to the military branches, military chaplains have three types of buttonhole crosses - Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox.

5. Cockades for headdresses of the Polish Army 1921-1939, as well as awards and badges of Polish veteran organizations. The sign with a reverse swastika in the center is the sign of the Association of Polish Veterans "For the Defense of the Motherland".

6. Patterns of uniforms of Polish veteran organizations.

7. Uniform of infantry units, on the left - the female uniform of the captain of the Women's Volunteer Legion (1920), in the center - an infantry corporal, on the right - a major.

8. On the left is the uniform of a lieutenant colonel of a mountain infantry brigade, on the buttonholes of his raincoat there is a sign with a swastika. On the right is the uniform of a Brigadier General of the Polish Army.

9. Here is such a sign with a swastika and spruce branches worn by the "Podhalian Riflemen", Polish mountain shooters, on raincoats and hats (they attached a feather to their hats).

10. Polish 37-mm anti-tank gun "Bofors" M1936, found during construction in Warsaw in 1979.

11. Mace and hat of Marshal Rydz-Smigly, Supreme Commander of Poland in 1939.

12. Samples of ceremonial sabers of the Polish Lancers.

13. Polish infantry weapons - 46-mm wz.36 mortar in combat and stowed position, Shosha light machine gun and Ckm wz.30 easel machine gun, Mosin rifle with a Mauser bayonet.

14. A box of spare parts and accessories for the Ckm wz.30 machine gun.

15. Dashing Polish motorcycle Sokół 600.

16. Camping riding equipment of the Polish lancer.

17. Uniform and weapons of the defenders of Wasterplatte.

18. Field uniform of Polish infantrymen - an officer and a private.

19. Fragments of downed German aircraft and personal belongings of Luftwaffe pilots. Stamps with a swastika and the year "1939", judging by the description, are for marking the coffins (or crosses?) of German soldiers who died in the Polish campaign.

20. Uniform of Polish pilots and tankers.

21. Uniform of a civil defense soldier.

22. 7.92 mm Ckm wz.30 machine gun on a mount installed for anti-aircraft fire, and next to it is a large-caliber 12.7 mm Maxim (Vickers) machine gun.

23. Uniform of the Border Protection Corps, a formation specially created to protect the eastern border of the Republic of Poland (from the USSR).

24. Uniform of a sailor from the monitor "Pinsk" (ORP on a peakless cap - a ship of the Commonwealth). An interesting fate of this monitor, on September 18, 1939, it was flooded by the crew, was raised by Soviet divers and, under the name "Zhitomir", first became part of the Dnieper River Flotilla, and then part of the Pinsk Flotilla. Participated in the battles of 1941 and ran aground (or was damaged by German artillery) on August 31, 1941, the next day was destroyed by the crew.

25. Polish 81 mm wz.31 mortar, Ckm wz.30 machine gun on a cavalry mount and wz.35 anti-tank rifle.

26. Light machine gun "Browning" rkm wz.28 with spare magazines and a sight for anti-aircraft fire.

27. Naval and infantry uniforms.

28. Weapons and ammunition found on the battlefields of 1939 in Poland.

29. Tops of the Polish banners.

30. Samples of headdresses of the Polish Army.

31. A set of tools for maintenance of the PZL P.11 fighter.

32. Uniform of artillery units Polish army.

33. Two different types of German encryption machine"Enigma", the first attempts to analyze the code and decipher the messages of "Enigma" were started in Poland in the mid-1920s.

34. A section of a 75 mm shrapnel projectile and an anti-tank gun wz.35 and a 7.92 mm cartridge for it.

35. Uniform of the air and naval forces of the second Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

During the First World War, the Poles fought on both sides, and therefore, after the formation in November 1918. Polish state his army was formed from numerous units and divisions, dressed in the most diverse uniforms: Austrian, German, French, as well as Russian and even Italian. The first statutes concerning uniforms appeared in 1919, but in the 1930s. new regulations were introduced, according to which the Polish military again put on the uniform in which they met Pe...

Tankman, Armored troops, 1939 The tankers of the Polish army dressed very much like their French counterparts: double-breasted black leather coats, black berets and French helmets for mechanized troops. Under the leather coat, this tanker has a casual uniform. The military emblem of the Polish armored forces is clearly visible - orange and black triangular buttonholes. They were also worn on overcoats - single-breasted, with a turn-down collar, six buttons in front, turn-down cuffs with two buttons and smooth narrowing... Sergeant, Polish army in the USSR, 1941 In September 1939, Russia, in accordance with a secret agreement with the Germans, annexed the eastern regions of Poland and imprisoned thousands of Poles in prisons and prison camps. However, when the Germans invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, the Russians allowed the formation of the armed forces that made up the same captured Poles. At first, these soldiers wore the same clothes that they wore in prison: shabby old Polish form or just civilian clothes. However, later according to... Private, 2nd Polish Corps, 1944 The Poles, the first to be released from the Stalinist camps, were sent from Russia to help the British in Iraq, where they formed the 2nd Polish Corps (this unit also included a small number of Poles who were in the Middle East at the beginning of the war). At the end of 1943, this corps, numbering 50,000 men, was transferred to Italy and became part of the British 8th Army. He took part in the battles for Monte Cassino in May 1944 and was active in Italy until the very end of the war. Polish... Captain, Air Force, 1944 Until 1936, soldiers and officers of the Polish Air Force wore an army uniform with yellow stripes and a cap band and white metal or fabric “wings” on the left sleeve of their tunic and overcoat above the elbow. In 1936 a new steel blue or gray uniform was introduced. This captain is dressed in everyday uniform of the 1936 model with insignia on the band of his cap and on shoulder straps. On the top of the cap there is a cockade - a Polish eagle in a special aviation version, and on the left side... Lieutenant, Air Force, 1939 Flight overalls for crews of closed aircraft during the summer months are made of unpainted linen. The lieutenant wrapped his own scarf around his neck; otherwise the rough matter rubbed the skin. His headgear is a standard leather flight helmet and goggles. The ranks of junior officers were indicated by five-pointed stars (from one to three) on shoulder straps, on the front of the band of the cap and on the left side of the beret. On the upper part of the left sleeve of the flight suit there was a black round fabric patch, bordered with gray... Captain, Air Force, 302 Squadron, 1940 From December 1939, Polish pilots appeared as part of the British Royal Air Force, and in August 1940, the formation of an independent Polish Air Force began in England. The original plan called for all foreigners who served in the RAF to be placed in the Volunteer Reserve and wear British uniforms with national shoulder patches. However, the creation of the Polish Air Force meant that the Poles would wear Polish cockades and Polish insignia on their buttonholes, while their... Senior sailor, Navy, 1939 The uniforms of sailors and officers were similar to those of sailors of other fleets. The standard naval overcoat was double-breasted with two rows of four gold-plated buttons. The summer uniform for officers and cornets (an intermediate rank corresponding to a midshipman in the Soviet Navy) consisted of a cap with a white cover, a single-breasted white tunic with a standing collar fastened with four buttons, long white trousers and white canvas boots. This sailor is dressed in a traditional naval uniform... Private, SV, 1939 This soldier wears a French 1915 Adrian steel helmet, which was standard on horseback units, and a sheepskin sheepskin coat, customary to wear instead of a long double-breasted overcoat in very cold weather. Rifle - German, "Mauser" 98K. ... Private, SV, 1939 This modern-looking uniform was standard for the infantry, but it was not always enough for other branches of the military. The color of the branch of service (dark blue for the infantry) is present on the collar tabs and insignia on shoulder straps. The equipment is similar to the German one, but cheap canvas equipment was used more often. The rifle is a Polish version of the German "Mauser" model 1929. ... 1

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POLISH ARMY IN EXILE

France, 1940

There was not the slightest doubt that the struggle would continue. Even before the fall of Warsaw, plans were made to organize underground resistance, and a number of orders called for Polish units to break into France. Poles were brought up from infancy on stories about the heroic past of their people. Disasters were familiar to Poland. Throughout the 19th century each of the Polish uprisings was invariably suppressed, but each successive generation was ready to shed blood for freedom. The history of Poland also knew an example of the existence of an army in exile: thousands of Poles stood under the banner of Napoleon, hoping with his help to return Poland to the map of Europe. During the First World War, Polish units operated in France and eventually achieved the revival of the country. In 1939, Polish soldiers felt they needed to restore their reputation in the eyes of the French, not to mention their own people. There was no doubt that the fate of Poland depended on the good will of France and Great Britain. Few doubted the idea that France and Britain would win the war. The Poles hoped to convince the French government that after the September defeat they had enough will left to continue the fight.

Among the tasks assigned to the Polish units that ended up in England after the fall of France was the maintenance of armored trains guarding the coastal zone. The crew of this armored train is formed from "supernumerary" Polish officers. In total, 12 such armored trains operated on the British coast.

The task of transporting tens of thousands of Polish soldiers from Romania and Hungary to France proved to be more difficult than initially thought. The German government exerted strong pressure on these countries, trying to achieve the internment of Polish soldiers until the end of the war. Nevertheless, Poland's relations with Hungary and Romania were benevolent, and both of these states saw their possible fate in the fate of Poland. Camps for Polish soldiers were indeed created, but it was not difficult to leave them, and everyone who wanted to could escape from them.

Many officials, including Smigly-Rydz himself, were also interned, and it was impossible for them to escape to France. Therefore, the Polish government in exile was formed from relatively random people. To a certain extent, the fact that the pre-war leaders of Poland could not get into France turned out to be even a positive moment: Polish soldiers could not forgive them for their defeat in 1939. This, as well as pressure from French diplomats, led to the fact that the posts of head of government and supreme commander General Wladyslaw Sikorsky was appointed by the Polish army. In many ways, this was the best candidate. Starting from 1920, Sikorski made a brilliant military career, but after the death of Pilsudski, during the period of the "regime of colonels", he fell out of favor, was removed from business and did not participate in the September campaign. He occupied a centrist position, therefore he was equally acceptable to both the right and the left. In addition, Sikorsky had a reputation as a Francophile, so it was easier for him than anyone else to establish trusting ties with the French government.

General W. Sikorski, leader of the Polish government in exile, presenting awards to two privates after a field exercise, Scotland, 1941. The general wears a slingshot with three stars and a silver zigzag on the band. Stars and a zigzag are repeated on the shoulder straps of the uniform. Also visible are the general's buttonholes made of dark blue velvet with a silver eagle and carmine-red edging along the upper edge. Two soldiers wear French Mle armored helmets. 1935 worn by Polish units in Britain before the introduction of British helmets. Such protective headgear was most often equipped with reconnaissance units.

After negotiations, the French agreed to help in the formation of a separate Polish army on their territory. The French felt guilty for their inaction during the September events in Poland, but still public opinion considered the Poles completely incompetent, and the whole undertaking a waste of time and money. However, the more fully the French military experts analyzed the course of the campaign, the less critical statements they allowed. In the end, an agreement was reached to form four infantry divisions: the ideas of that period about the Slavs as good infantrymen had an effect. The number of corps of soldiers who were able to escape from Poland was to be 35,000 people. However, in addition to the soldiers who arrived in France, Polish emigrants who had lived in the country earlier expressed their desire to join the army. As a result, there were about 45,000 volunteers. Throughout the autumn and winter of 1939/40. the Poles were held in French camps, having received from the French government only blue French uniforms and small arms, outdated even by Polish standards.

Further events developed rapidly. The Soviet Union attacked Finland, and France and Great Britain decided to provide military assistance to the staunch Finns. Sikorsky offered the services of the Polish units, which were glad to clash with the Red Army, which occupied part of their homeland. In January 1940, the French began to supply equipment for the 1st separate Polish mountain brigade "Podhale" ( Podhale). However, before this and other parts of the allies were prepared, Finland began negotiations with the USSR. Spring came, and the Poles were still forced to beg the French for weapons and equipment. Two divisions were almost ready: the 1st Grenadier and the 2nd Rifle. Finally, the French issued something more substantial, in particular the equipment for two battalions of R-35 tanks, which equipped the resurgent 10th mechanized cavalry brigade. The 10th mechanized brigade, nicknamed the "Black Brigade" for its specific black overcoats, was the only fully mechanized unit of the Polish Army in September 1939. It fought gloriously. Its commander, Colonel Stanislav Maczek, taking advantage of the fact that the unit was fighting near the Romanian border, was able to withdraw almost the entire personnel to Romania, and then to France.

By the beginning of the fighting in 1940 in France, two Polish divisions were practically formed, and two more (3rd and 4th) were in training camps. The mountain brigade was the first to enter the battle. At the end of April, a brigade under the command of General Sigmund Bohus-Szyszko was transferred by sea to Anken (Norway), along with a brigade of French Alpine riflemen. The Poles took the first battle on May 14, when they had to knock out the Germans, who had fortified themselves on a hilltop above the village. During the hard and bloody battle in the mountains, the French realized that the Poles can be relied upon. However, due to the fact that on May 10 the Germans occupied the Netherlands, on May 26 it was decided to evacuate the Norwegian Expeditionary Force. The Polish Mountain Brigade disembarked at Brest on June 14 and was soon involved in fierce fighting in Brittany.

Fire control section of a battery of 75 mm anti-aircraft guns WZ.36AA in anticipation of a raid by Luftwaffe bombers near Warsaw, September 2, 1939. Anti-aircraft gunners wear khaki overalls and helmets of the 1931 model, worn backwards so that the visor does not interfere with the use of optical devices. The buttonholes on the officer's uniform (in the center, wearing glasses) are green with a yellow piping along the trailing edge and a silver zigzag.

Ironically, the 1st Polish Grenadier Division was deployed in the small Saar pocket, which the French captured in September 1939, demonstrating "help" to the Poles when they were attacked by Germany. The 2nd Infantry Division was stationed in the Belfort area on the Swiss border. The French army was in dire need of tanks, so the 10th mechanized brigade of Colonel Maczek was thrown into battle not yet fully equipped. The 1st Division entered the battle only at the end of the campaign: it covered the retreat of the French XX Army Corps. At the same time, the division commander, General Bronislaw Duh, was put in a very difficult position: in mid-June, Sikorsky, seeing that France was doomed, ordered all Polish units to evacuate to England. However, General Spirit decided to continue fighting in France in order to avoid being accused of cowardice. The decision cost the soldiers dearly: from 17 to 21 June, the division lost 45% of its personnel. After the surrender of France, the Spirit ordered his soldiers to get to England as best they could, but only a few were able to carry out this order.

The 2nd Rifle Division also saw little action and on June 17, together with the French 45th Army Group, left for Switzerland, where it was interned. The 3rd Division, which had not yet completed its formation and training, took part in the bloody battles in Breton, where it was completely defeated. The 4th Division never entered the battle and was evacuated through the Bay of Biscay to England. Maczek's tankers saw some of the fiercest fighting during the retreat of the VII Army Corps towards Dijon in Champagne. Polish tankers acted jointly with the Senegalese units. By June 19, the brigade had lost three-quarters of its personnel and all its tanks. Maczek ordered the survivors to look for ways to get to England.

A Polish sergeant prepares a charge for a 3.7-inch British anti-aircraft gun. This photograph clearly shows the changes that the Poles made to the British uniforms issued to them. The epaulettes of the British khaki field jacket with white or silver galloon and thin red piping indicate military rank. The Polish Army patch at the top of both sleeves was dark red with white lettering, below it was a red patch with a black bow and arrow: the badge of British anti-aircraft gunners. There are Polish buttonholes on the collar: green with yellow edging on the back edge. Polish soldiers stationed in England painted the image of an eagle on their helmets with yellow paint.

Resurrected Phoenix

So, less than a year later, the Polish army suffered a second crushing defeat. Illusions about the invincibility of the French army, as well as hopes for an early victory and return home, were dispelled. New defeat meant new losses. Of the 75,000 Poles who reached France, about 19,000 people evacuated to England, a quarter of which were pilots. In addition, the Carpathian brigade of General Stanislav Kopansky, which was formed in the Middle East, withdrew to Palestine so as not to clash with troops subordinate to the Vichy government. Relations between the Poles and the British were not as cordial as with the French, but in the summer of 1940 there was no need to choose partners. Churchill sympathized with Sikorsky's plans for the formation of the Polish Army as an independent fighting unit, and the wandering soldiers ended up in the Glasgow area. There was little work for the Poles: protection of the coast and military training. At first, the Royal Air Force was reluctant to take Polish pilots into fighter squadrons, but the situation in the air became increasingly tense, and in August 1940 several Polish squadrons were formed, the 303rd Polish squadron proved to be the most productive during the "Battle of England". Although the squadron was equipped with obsolete types of aircraft, the level of combat training of the Poles turned out to be noticeably higher than that of inexperienced British pilots who had more modern Spitfires and Hurricanes. The successes of the Polish pilots in 1940 contributed to the warming of relations with the British, and as a result they managed to get some more modern military equipment. The Poles turned out to be the most decisive army in exile from those in the territory of the United Kingdom, so the British quickly forgot their former dismissive attitude towards the Poles. The defeat of the backward Polish army in 1939 faded after the defeat of the well-equipped British and French armies. A big problem for the Polish Army in 1940 and 1941. there was a shortage of manpower. Volunteers arrived from Poland, literally walking to any neutral port, but the lack of qualified officers and diplomats did not allow even these troops to be brought into proper condition.

In 1941, the Poles and the British greeted with joy the news of the German attack on the Soviet Union. The British were glad that they had an ally in their fight against Hitler. The Poles, on the other hand, received painful satisfaction from the fact that the entire power of the Wehrmacht fell upon the Red Army. They hoped that the Russians and Germans would grind each other to powder, as they had done in 1914-1918, and this would give Poland a chance for rebirth again. The British government was not enthusiastic about such sentiments and insisted that the Polish government in exile restore diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union, the Sikorsky government chose to comply, and in 1941 the corresponding treaty was signed. However, Stalin did not agree to cede the Polish territories captured in 1939, and this immediately led to the emergence of rather strained relations between the two new allies.

1. Private of the 18th Lancers. 1939

1. The field headdress “slingshot” with a quadrangular crown was introduced in 1937. Only one emblem was supposed to be worn on the slingshot - a Polish military eagle embroidered with gray whining (In 1939, in some parts, old caps similar to American ones were still worn with a eagle). The slingshot should not be confused with the Polish cap, which existed in the same period. The cap also had a traditional square tulle, but not soft, but hard. In addition, the cap was supplied with a black leather visor and a colored band with insignia under the eagle. The color of the cap band denoted the type of troops, with the exception of the cavalry, where each regiment had its own color. Officers' caps were sheathed with a silver edging along the edge of the bottom, and also had narrow galloons sewn on the bottom in the form of a cross. Regiments of light cavalry and parts of the border guards wore similar caps, but with a round, "English" crown.

Uniform reform in the early 1930s modernized and standardized the Polish uniform, and also eliminated differences in cut between the uniforms of officers and soldiers. The woolen uniform of the 1936 model was sewn from khaki fabric, a slightly greener hue than the English uniforms. The cut was the usual: four pockets, shoulder straps, turn-down collar. Buttons in oxidized silver. The summer uniform had the same cut, but was sewn from linen. The cavalrymen wore breeches, reinforced with leather harnesses, as well as cavalry boots with spurs. The figure shows a soldier of the 18th Lancers with peacetime buttonholes: a blue-and-white pennant with two braids with a scarlet central stripe between them. Along the edge of the collar is a traditional Polish galloon zigzag. In wartime, such buttonholes were not supposed to be worn.

Cavalry pattern brown leather waist belt and Y-shaped shoulder straps. Two three-section pouches for clips of the Mauser type, a carbine of the 1929 model, a bread bag of the 1933 model. A shovel and a bayonet on the waist belt. The gas mask bag is not visible. Horse equipment - a soldier's bridle and saddle of the 1925 model. The saddle is equipped on the left with a mount for the saber of the 1934 model. During the September 1939 campaign, older sabers of the French, Prussian or Russian model were also encountered. Overcoat model 1936 in a roll is fixed on the front pommel of the saddle. Saddlebags and a sack for oats are attached to the back of the saddle. The blanket was supposed to be laid under the saddlecloth.

Pike of the French type with a weather vane-badge of regimental colors. In 1939, lances were not supposed to be used in combat, but there was no uniformity here. Some units left pikes in the barracks, others took them with them, but for the most part they were carried in the wagon train. Peaks with regimental badges and badges of squadrons were supposed to be worn constantly.

2. The uniform is the same. Pay attention to the French helmet of Adrian - in 1939 it remained in almost all cavalry and horse artillery units, as well as in some artillery, reserve infantry and auxiliary units. In the field, of all the insignia, it was supposed to wear only stripes on shoulder straps according to military rank. The corporal was supposed to have two silver chevrons with a red edging. Encryption with a number or with a monogram according to the name of the regiment, as well as with the traditional designations that existed in some parts, were worn on shoulder straps only in peacetime. In the field, such ciphers were worn on muffs that could be easily removed from shoulder straps. The buttonhole pennant on the collar is ruby ​​red/blue with a white center stripe, surrounded by a silver non-commissioned officer's zigzag.

The corporal is armed with an rkm wz.28 light machine gun, which was a further development of the Belgian Browning automatic rifle of the 1928 model. The machine gunner has enlarged double pouches, each pair is connected at the top.

1. Infantry lieutenant, 1939

2–3. Ordinary infantry, 1939

1. Field cap-slingshot with an eagle, overcoat of general cut for officers and lower ranks. Officer's stars on shoulder straps. All infantrymen had a yellow and blue stripe across the corners of their collars. Officers, as a rule, wore good quality breeches and boots in the field, and if the officer was supposed to have a horse, then spurs were attached to the boots. British-style officer's equipment, brown leather. Through the left shoulder are the belts of the tablet and binoculars, through the right shoulder - the belt of the ViS pistol holster. Linen WSR gas mask bag with fabric strap over the right shoulder.

2–3. Standard infantry uniforms and equipment are shown front and back. The Polish helmet of the 1931 model is painted with dark olive salamander-type paint, to which fine cork chips are added, creating a grainy surface texture. Helmets were delivered primarily to infantry units, but by 1939 some artillery and other units also received them. The winter woolen uniform of the 1936 model included straight trousers with short windings and lace-up boots of the 1934 model (sometimes boots were sewn from undyed leather). A tarpaulin satchel, model 1932, a bowler hat, painted olive or left unpainted, is suspended from it. A part of the tent or a blanket was often wrapped around the overcoat, and the entire roll was attached to the knapsack in the form of a horseshoe, covering it from above and from the sides. On the left side, a small sapper shovel and a Mauser-type bayonet, along with a canvas cracker bag of the 1933 model. On the right, they are balanced by a bag of the same size and weight with a WSR gas mask. Three-section pouches on the front waist belt. Interestingly, for infantrymen, the role of cavalry shoulder straps is played by the straps of the satchel. The weapon is a Polish-made Mauser rifle, in 1939 it was found in three main versions: a rifle of the 1898 model, similar to the German 98a rifle, a carbine of the 1898 model and a carbine of the 1929 model, similar to the German 98k. Infantry buttonholes are blue with a yellow piping on the back and a white zigzag. In combat conditions, buttonholes were not supposed to be worn.

1. Private of the 10th Cavalry Rifle Regiment of the 10th Mechanized Brigade, 1939

2. Tanker, 1939

3. Lieutenant of the mountain rifle regiment of the 21st mountain division, 1939

1. The only fully mechanized brigade in 1939 had the nickname "Black Brigade" because of the characteristic black leather coats with a cloth collar and shoulder straps. Coats were sewn with a deep smell to the right. The 10th mechanized brigade was probably the only Polish unit whose soldiers continued to wear German helmets of the 1916 model, painted in khaki color, in 1939. The black coat covered the usual cavalry uniform and breeches. Cavalry boots in the motorized artillery units of this brigade were decorated with symbolic spurs (strips of metal around the heels), in the field these decorative "spurs" were not worn. The same "spurs" were worn by all officers of the brigade with evening dress. Note the cavalry leather equipment with Y-shaped shoulder straps.

2. Tank officers wore black leather coats or jackets, while ordinary tankers usually got by with cloth overalls. The head is protected by a khaki-colored helmet, which is a Polish version of the French tank helmet; there were also French-made helmets. Weapon: ViS pistol. On the side is a box with an old French RSC gas mask.

3. In the 21st and 22nd mountain divisions, instead of a slingshot, they wore felt hats, traditional for the mountainous regions of Podhale in southern Poland. A Polish military eagle is fixed on the front of the hat and under it is an asterisk denoting the rank of second lieutenant. On the side is the divisional emblem (“broken” cross-swastika on double twigs), with the help of which an eagle feather is pinned to the hat. The emblem of the division is also repeated on the collar of the cape, which replaced the overcoat in mountain divisions. Cape collar with infantry blue and yellow stripe. The cloak was often worn thrown over the left shoulder, leaving the right shoulder free. In this picture, the ViS pistol holster and saber suspended from the waist belt are not visible. The soldiers of the 21st mountain division wore "Hutsul" hats, traditional for the costumes of the inhabitants of the Eastern Carpathians.

1. Shooter of the 4th Warsaw Infantry Regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division, France, 1940

2. Lieutenant of the 1st Grenadier Division, France. 1940

3. Shooter of a separate mountain rifle brigade, Norway, 1940

1. During the Peculiar War, Polish soldiers in France were dressed in a motley mix of dusty blue old French uniforms with headdresses. different types- caps, caps, berets. Only units of the 1st Grenadier and 2nd Infantry Divisions in the spring of 1940 began to receive the French uniform of the 1935 pattern in khaki. Some Polish infantry units received brown berets instead of khaki caps (bonnet de police). The Poles continued to wear the emblems and insignia of their army, made of metal or pressed rubber, or embroidered. Some received rectangular French buttonholes, but in Polish colors: for example, for infantry they are dark blue with yellow piping, but without a unit number. Parts of the 2nd Infantry Division wore "bayonet-shaped" buttonholes of regimental colors. Cavalrymen and tankers wore pennant-shaped buttonholes on their collars. The 10th mechanized brigade received the standard uniform and equipment of French tankers. The French infantry helmet of the 1935 model was decorated with the image of the Polish eagle, which was either applied with paint or was an overlay plate; some specifically ordered headplates for helmets.

Soldiers of the 4th Infantry Regiment wore a brown beret with the national emblem. On the left side of the beret was sewn a buttonhole of regimental colors: light green, separated by a dark blue stripe. The same buttonholes were sewn on the collars of uniforms. There were no other distinguishing marks. The standard French field uniform included a uniform, golf trousers of the 1938 model, windings and lace-up boots. Model 1939 pouches are supported by Y-shaped shoulder straps. Modified 1934 satchel with a rolled up blanket, ANP 31 gas mask on the left side, food bag (musette) on the right side. The 1935 sample flask was worn at the back, exactly in the middle of the belt. Armament - Berthier rifle model 1916

2. The officer wears a cap with a Polish eagle. Under the eagle and on the left side of the cap are two stars, denoting the rank of lieutenant. The stars are also pinned to the shoulder straps of the French overcoat. The officer wears a gas mask bag and an M1935A automatic pistol holster.

3. The mountain units were supposed to be equipped on the model of the French Alpine shooters, but in reality the picture was very diverse. The image of an eagle is painted on the helmet. Usually mountain shooters wore a khaki beret. Over the uniform, many wore a water-repellent canvas "motorcycle" jacket. Like the "motor parts jacket" similar to it, it was very popular: the jacket could be worn over the uniform for warmth. Instead of the traditional headgear of Polish mountain units, there is a French artillery helmet. Taped knee-high trousers tucked into thick woolen socks. Leather equipment of the old model of 1915, but the rifle is new - MAS 36. Gas mask bag on a shoulder strap.

1. Shooter of a separate Carpathian rifle brigade, Tobruk, Libya, 1941

2. Shooter of the 6th Lvov Rifle Brigade of the 5th Kresovskaya Infantry Division, Italy, autumn 1944

3. Lieutenant of the 4th armored stick "Scorpio" of the 2nd armored division, Italy, early 1945

1. The uniform of the soldiers of the Carpathian brigade differed from the British one only in Polish insignia: the Poles wore the standard British tropical uniform in khaki or field uniform for a temperate climate, cloth equipment of the 1937 model and were armed with British weapons. This soldier wore a khaki wool pullover over a tropical shirt and shorts. On his feet - high golf socks and army boots with short canvas gaiters. The British-style helmet is painted in sand color and decorated with the image of the Polish eagle on a red field. Rifle No. 1 Mk III SMLE.

2. The machine gunner is dressed in the British field uniform of the so-called "model 1940" with open buttons and pockets without bow folds. Standard cloth equipment of the 1937 pattern. In Italy, soldiers sometimes wore wellington boots to get rid of the autumn slush. The camouflage net on the helmet is shown "torn" so that the Polish eagle can be seen. Small diamond-shaped buttonholes on the collar of a British field blouse in traditional Polish colors: in this case infantry, blue with yellow piping. Under the national ribbon-patch in the upper part of the sleeve is the divisional emblem. Even lower is a white lion on a red-blue field - the emblem of the Lviv brigade. After Cassino, the Poles began to wear the emblem of the British 8th Army on the upper part of the right sleeve: a dark blue square patch with a white shield bearing a yellow cross. In preparation for the assault on Monte Cassino, they tried not to wear brigade or divisional emblems for reasons of secrecy. The soldier's armament is a Bren light machine gun.

3. Black beret of the Royal Armored Corps with an embroidered Polish eagle above two stars, denoting the rank of lieutenant. On the left side of the beret is the regimental emblem: a silver scorpion on a red rhombus. Regimental buttonholes on the collar are metal, dyed: a black-orange pennant-weather vane with a central red stripe, additionally decorated with a scorpion image from white metal. On shoulder straps are silver five-pointed stars. The divisional emblem on the left sleeve is sewn close above the narrow red stripe indicating the type of troops (in the British army, belonging to the tank forces was indicated by a two-color stripe with a yellow front and red back halves. The red stripe denoted infantry. - Approx. ed.). This is what an officer could look like at a parade in the near rear: on the front line, he would not wear his Virtuti Military order. Cloth ammunition, including a pistol holster and a pouch, burned out almost white. The revolver is traditionally fastened to the shoulder with a cord. Light yellow tank gloves with leggings. Officers preferred to wear pre-war field uniforms with concealed buttons.

1. Private of the Polish separate parachute brigade, the Netherlands, 1944

2. Lieutenant of the 24th Lancers Regiment of the 1st Polish Armored Division, Northwestern Europe, 1944-1945.

3. Private of the 10th Dragoon Regiment of the 1st Polish Armored Division, Northwest Europe, 1944-1945.

1. Polish paratroopers wore the same uniforms and equipment as their British comrades: a helmet without a visor and a nape, a field uniform, a Denison airborne jumpsuit and equipment of the 1937 model, to which a rope was sometimes added to overcome obstacles. The paratrooper is armed with a Sten submachine gun. Only a yellow eagle on a helmet, bluish-gray buttonholes with a yellow edging and silver insignia, adopted in parachute units, indicate belonging to the Polish unit. In addition, the uniform of the Polish paratroopers was distinguished by a light bluish-gray beret with a traditional Polish eagle and insignia (this headdress is not shown in the picture).

2. The earthy-brown overalls of the Polish tankers seem to have more often had two hip pockets instead of one on the left thigh, like the British. Asterisks on shoulder straps are the only thing that denotes the officer's dignity of this tanker. The collar of the combat jacket is released over the overalls, it shows regimental buttonholes in the form of "Uhlan" badges-weather vanes: in the 24th Uhlans they are white with a yellow central stripe. On the black beret of the British tankers, the Polish eagle and stars of the lieutenant are embroidered. Cloth equipment includes a tank open hip holster on a long cloth belt. Pay attention to the cord of the revolver, which was always fixed on the right shoulder, regardless of whether the holster was located on the right or left side of the belt. The officers were supposed to wear brown boots.

3. The regiment was part of the 10th motorized cavalry brigade. The regimental buttonholes were crimson and orange, with a central green stripe. In memory of the Polish 10th mechanized brigade in 1939, the regiment was left with a black epaulette and a cord on the left shoulder. In the upper part of the left sleeve there was a national ribbon-patch, under it - the emblem of the 1st armored division. On the right sleeve, instead of the divisional emblem, there is a regimental emblem: on a blue shield there is an St. Andrew's cross and the coat of arms of the Scottish city of Lanark, in which the soldiers of the 10th regiment were trained. On the helmet is an eagle, equipment of the 1937 model, field uniform of the "1940 model", armament - the Thompson submachine gun.

Home Army, August 1944

The insurgents of the Home Army did not have a single uniform. Civilian clothing, if possible, was supplemented with elements of the Polish pre-war uniform or captured German uniforms. At the very beginning of the uprising, a large German uniform warehouse was seized, and many sets of various camouflage uniforms were distributed to the rebels; these "panthers" were very popular. All insurgents wore a red and white armband, sometimes they additionally depicted the emblems of the units, the Polish eagle, the letters WP (Wojsko Polskie) or an abbreviation for the name of the unit. Sometimes the large Polish eagle was depicted on the helmets in white paint instead of the white and red ribbon shown in Figure 1. This insurgent is dressed in civilian clothes and armed with a makeshift flamethrower. Fighter (2) is part of one of the Boy Scout companies. He is dressed in a black German cap with a Polish eagle and a "panther" - in this case, a double-sided winter army top camouflage with a Wehrmacht "blurred" pattern. He is armed with a Blaskawitz submachine gun (Blyskawica - lightning) - the Polish analogue of the English Sten submachine gun, of course, much less reliable than the prototype. The courier girl (3) wears an army camouflage jacket with a "split" pattern. Glasses were needed to protect the eyes from poisonous fumes when they had to wade through sewer pipes. Most of the couriers were unarmed, only a few had small-caliber pistols unsuitable for serious combat.

Editor's note: Pro-Soviet partisan detachments also operated in Poland, under the control of the Krajowa Rada Narodowa. By her decree on January 1, 1944, the Army of Ludov was created (literally - People's Army). Organization of the Human Army at the beginning of 1944:

1st district "Warsaw" (partisan unit "Imeni Chvartakov"); 2nd district "Warsaw - Lewa Podmeiska" (two groups, including "K. Pulaski"); 3rd district "Warsaw - Rights of Podmiiska" ( partisan formations"Yastzhab", "Yurek", "Zygmund", "Named after I. Slovatsky", "Dombrovsky"); 18th district "Plock" (groups "Czarny", "Maly", "Kuba", "Vashchik", "Lasek", "Ryszard", "Macek", "Zelazny"), District II "Lubelski" - main apartment partisan formations (1st partisan brigade “Imeni Zhemi Lubelskaya”, partisan formations “Armata”, “Stary”, “Yanovskogo”, “Egier”, partisan battalion “Imeni Kholod”); District III "Radomsko-Kielecki" (partisan battalion "Named after General Bem"; partisan formations "Named after B. Glovatsky", "Named after Zawisza Cherny", "Named after I. Sovinsky", "Named after D. Chakhovsky", "Named after M. Langevich ”, “Named after V. Lukashchinsky”, “Garbaty”); District IV "Krakow" (partisan formations "Hadek Podhalansky", "Gutek", "Stefan Kola", "Zygmund", "Stanko"); District V "Slasko-Dombrovsky" (partisan formations "Imeni Marcin", "Kvasna", "Klusovnik").

1. Private of the 1st Infantry Division. T. Kosciuszko, 1945

2. Tanker of the 1st Polish armored brigade "Heroes of Westerplatte", Polish Army, 1944-1945.

3. Private of the 1st Infantry Division. T. Kosciuszko, 1945

1. When in 1943 the formation of units of the Polish Army began in Selce, the soldiers received Soviet uniforms. But for political reasons, a special uniform later appeared, more reminiscent of the Polish uniform of the 1936 model. Soviet-style helmet, equipment is also Soviet, leather. The color of the uniform varied, more often it was a grayish-green hue, but there was also a regular one - khaki. The new uniform never replaced the Soviet one. The khaki overcoat resembled the pre-war Polish one in cut, but standard Soviet overcoats were often used. The soldier is armed with a DP light machine gun, which the Poles called "gramophones". Soviet-style helmet with a white Polish eagle, but for political reasons - without the traditional crown and shield. In Poland, when soldiers of the Polish Army appeared there, such eagles were called "plucked chickens." Many soldiers continued to use the pre-war emblems, cutting off the crowns from them, and later launched the industrial production of eagles without a crown. Buttonholes of a new triangular shape, but the infantry colors (blue and yellow) remained the same: confirmed by two orders from 1943 and 1945. At first, infantrymen wore buttonholes with a blue half over yellow, and the reverse color combination was given to armor-piercing units. In 1945, in the infantry, the color combination on the buttonholes was reversed.

2. A khaki uniform is worn over tank overalls tucked into boots with short tops. The headgear is a black Soviet summer tank helmet. There were also dark blue overalls and helmets. Pistol TT model 1935. Specialized parts of the Polish Army - tankers, sappers, etc. - preferred to wear more standard elements of the Soviet uniform and equipment.

3. The discrepancy between the shades of the color of the fabric of the headdress, uniform, breeches and overcoat was a common occurrence. High boots and Soviet-style equipment, including cloth pouches for three magazines for PPSh-41 each. Instead of the Soviet helmets of the 1940 model, the Poles more often wore slingshots, putting them on even in winter, although they were given fur hats with earflaps. The insignia are the same as in Figure 1. The insignia by rank generally remained the same as in the pre-war army. There were only minimal differences: for example, stars could be yellow rather than white metal, white thread was used instead of silver thread for embroidery.

One of the most important points of the concluded pact was an agreement on the formation of a number of units of the Polish Army on Soviet territory. They were to be staffed from more than 200,000 Polish prisoners of war who were on the territory of the USSR. These units were led by the former cavalryman General Vladislav Anders. Soon these troops turned into another problem in relations between the Poles and the Soviet Union. Polish prisoners of war were a collection of half-starved, ragged people exhausted by war and captivity. It was very difficult to form combat-ready units from them, especially since the Soviet Union itself experienced a serious shortage of weapons and equipment. In addition, among the prisoners of war, a significant proportion were officers with a shortage of privates. However, the Soviet side insisted that the Polish units take at least a symbolic part in the war as soon as possible, and demanded that Anders form at least one Polish division as soon as possible and send it to the front. Having such a poorly equipped division would have been of little real use and would have resulted in many deaths. The Soviet government insisted that the first Polish division be formed by October 1941, but by this time the 5th Kresovskaya division was still in rags, and 40% of the soldiers did not have shoes. Politicians talked about the unity and mutual understanding of the allies, and the soldiers had to sacrifice their lives for the interests of a foreign state that had just violated the treaty, and now refused to recognize their rights to the lands on which their ancestors had lived for centuries. Anders, who was under pressure from the NKVD, nevertheless shared the convictions of his soldiers and refused to send Polish units into battle, citing a lack of equipment.

Soldiers of the 5th Infantry Division (from June 1943 - Kresovskaya) at the parade, Saratov, USSR, December 1941. Soon the unit was transferred to the Middle East, later its soldiers fought in Italy near Monte Cassino. Horses of the soldiers of the banner group of the steppe breed. The uniform is a mixture of elements of Polish and Soviet uniforms.

During the negotiations, the Soviet side recognized that it was not able to adequately equip all the Polish units, and it was decided to transport some of them to Great Britain and Iran, where the British side could help equip them. Relations between the Polish and Soviet side continued to deteriorate, especially since the Poles began to openly accuse the Soviet side of opposing the formation of their units. In particular, Stalin denied the Poles the right to enlist Ukrainians, Belarusians and Jews in the Polish Army, who until 1939 had Polish citizenship and lived in the Polish territories seized in favor of the USSR. It seemed that the situation was already getting out of control, but in 1942, American and British diplomats were able to convince Stalin to send Polish units to Central Asia. Thanks to this, the Soviet Union was able to release six infantry divisions, which served as occupying troops in Iran, together with British units. Western diplomats assured that in this case it would be easier to equip the Polish units in order to then send them to fight the Nazis - either to the Soviet-German front, or somewhere else. By that time, the Soviet government had already begun to openly accuse the Poles of not wanting to fight against the Germans. At the same time, Soviet leaders refused to take into account any statements by the Poles regarding the actions of the Soviets and the Nazis in the partition of Poland in 1939, as well as to talk about the prospects for the return of captured Polish territories, including the most important city of Lvov. By the spring of 1943, about 115,000 Polish military personnel and members of their families had been sent to the Middle East. This was only a small part of the one and a half million Poles who were at that time in Soviet camps as prisoners of war and deported persons, taken into custody during the “decolonization” of the eastern regions of the country carried out by the NKVD units.

Soldiers of a separate Carpathian rifle brigade look out for German planes in the sky, the defense of Tobruk. British-style uniform and equipment; Poles could be distinguished only by specific insignia, and sometimes by the image of an eagle on a helmet, inscribed in a red oval shield. From the stripes on shoulder straps, you can determine that the machine gunner on the left has the rank of corporal.

The Poles arrived in Central Asia just at the moment when relations between the Polish and Soviet governments were heated to the limit. The Germans discovered graves with the remains of 4,000 Polish officers near the small town of Katyn. The Poles believed that both the Nazis and the Soviet units could be guilty of this massacre. Moreover, the suspicions against the Soviet Chekists looked more convincing, since the Soviet side refused to explain the fate of the 15,000 Polish officers captured by the Red Army in 1939. If they really fell into the hands of the Nazis, then why didn't the Soviets simply make this fact public? The Poles have achieved an investigation under the auspices of the International Red Cross. The Soviet government regarded this as a reason to break off diplomatic relations and accused the Poles of conspiring with the Nazis. The Soviet government expected that the post-war leadership of Poland should be "friendly" in relation to the USSR, in other words, be formed in accordance with the wishes of Stalin. As a sign of friendly intentions, the Soviet Union demanded that the Sikorski government recognize the Soviet annexation of half of the territory of pre-war Poland in exchange for a small part of the German lands that were supposed to be taken from Germany in the course of the post-war reorganization of Europe. Both Churchill and Roosevelt at meetings in Tehran and Yalta agreed with these proposals. In foreign policy The United States and Great Britain were dominated by a friendly attitude towards the USSR, in addition, Churchill and Roosevelt tried to appease Stalin at a time when Soviet troops were bearing the brunt of the war on the ground fronts. Public opinion in Great Britain and the United States was pro-Soviet, and Poland's position was presented as a kind of funny incident, the product of blind anti-Bolshevism and even anti-Semitism. It was an unfair position, but many Americans and Britons at the time naively believed in the idea of ​​a "Soviet paradise", which crumbled much later, when they became aware of the atrocities committed by Stalinism. The break in relations between the Polish government and Stalin was a tragedy; the Soviet side was given the opportunity to form its own puppet Polish government in Moscow. It, in turn, announced the creation of its own army, which was supposed to fight side by side with the Soviet troops instead of Anders' army.

Meanwhile, the Polish army returned to the battlefields again, although this concerned only a small part of it. In September 1941, the Carpathian brigade of General Stanislav Kopansky was transferred to Egypt to participate in the defense of Tobruk. The brigade was formed in 1939 in Syria from Polish soldiers who arrived in the Middle East through the Balkans. After the fall of France, the brigade was taken over by the British Army.

The brigade consisted of three infantry battalions and a cavalry regiment (equivalent in number to a battalion). The brigade defended the western part of the Tobruk perimeter, and during the December breakthrough managed to push back the Italian Brescia division and occupy Akrom. In the battle of Gazala, the Poles acted side by side with the New Zealand units. At the beginning of 1942, the brigade was returned to Palestine, where its personnel were used to form and equip new units from the Polish military who arrived from the USSR.

In June 1943, General Sikorsky died in a plane crash over Gibraltar. It was a very big loss, since Sikorsky was one of the few influential Poles who enjoyed the same confidence both among his compatriots and the governments of the USA and Great Britain. There was no other leader of the same magnitude. The command of the army passed to General Kazimir Sosnkowski, and Stanisław Mikołajczyk became Prime Minister of the Polish government in exile.

II Polish Corps in Italy, 1944–1945

Anders' army was stationed in Palestine, Iraq and Iran. The personnel of the army were used to form the Polish II Corps, as well as to replenish the Polish I Corps deployed in Scotland. There were no prospects for a quick return of the Poles to combat units: they were tormented by malaria, they were badly equipped and exhausted. Training continued from the autumn of 1942 until the autumn of 1943. During this period, the Polish troops were used by the British counterintelligence as a front to convince the Germans that the British were preparing an invasion of the Balkans. The Poles themselves believed that there was some truth in this: they were ready to take part in the landing operation in Greece or Yugoslavia as part of the allied army in order to later liberate Poland and Central Europe before the approach of Soviet troops. But in 1943 this plan was finally rejected as too risky.

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Eugene, 49, postal courier
Form: Lieutenant of the 1st Polish Infantry Division named after Tadeusz Kosciuszko

Where fought

The first formation of units from Polish citizens who were in the USSR (refugees, prisoners, prisoners) began in 1941. By the name of the commander, they are called "Anders' army." After the conflict between the Polish government in exile and Stalin, they went to Iran, to the British.

Form the second time soviet army Polish began in 1943, with the creation of the Kosciuszko division. She went to Berlin.

What were they wearing

Initially, the Polish units went for the most part in the Soviet military uniform, but with their own insignia. Own uniforms with traditional elements became widespread only in 1944, when the division entered the territory of Poland. Of course, the pre-war Polish uniform was prettier. This one was sewn in the Soviet Union, simple.

The leader of the Polish uprising against the Russian Empire in 1794, a participant in the American War of Independence.

Details

The slingshot or confederate has been a national military headdress since the 18th century. Everyone wore it, not just officers. Unless the officer's could be made of better quality cloth.

Buttonholes of infantrymen of the Polish Republic (1918–1939)

On the cockade - the eagle of the first Polish royal dynasty Piasts. So it is carved in a stone niche with the sarcophagus of Boleslav III. Unlike the pre-war one, this eagle looks less aggressive and does not wear a crown.

Yellow and blue are the colors of the infantry in the Polish army. Such buttonholes replaced the famous "cogwheel". In 1944, when there were battles with the UPA, problems arose. Ukrainians even cut off these buttonholes from Polish uniforms. Therefore, the Polish Army officially returned its gear. But many soldiers who served in the old pre-war army sewed it on much earlier.

Two red stripes - signs for minor injuries. The Poles had a different system, but many officers transferred to the Polish Army from the Red Army, therefore they retained their signs.

Facial hair in the Polish units was regulated, but during the war this was practically not monitored. The closer to the front, the less conventions.