Captured equipment in Polish hands

[Thomas the Tank Engine]

Hi guys,
Could you post here your photos of Polish soldiers with captured German or Italian weapons and equipment or photos of such stuff from your collections?

[Thomas the Tank Engine]

Let me encourage you by posting some photos of the Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade soldiers with "liberated" stuff:

[Thomas the Tank Engine]

Captured things are: Bersaglieri Pith Helmet, CZ 27 (only its holster is seen), some Italian (?) field gun and VIS (or Radom as the Yanks used to say...; unfortunately only a holster is seen). Everytime I watch the last one photo, I wonder if that VIS was "liberated" from an Afrikakorps soldier or belonged to that officer before the war...

[A.J. Zawadzki]

. . . Everytime I watch the last one photo, I wonder if that VIS was "liberated" from an Afrikakorps soldier or belonged to that officer before the war...

Hello Lokomotywa Tomasz ,

The holster is a German design made for the “9 mm Pistole 35(p)”, the German designation for the Polish wz.35 Vis. So I suspect that it is very probably an “occupation Vis” that’s residing in there. I can only imagine the satisfaction this soldier must have felt at repossessing this firearm from its previous owner!

Many thanks for the pics. I hope to see some more photos posted on this interesting thread. I’ll dig through my archives for some as well.

Regards,
Tony

[Thomas the Tank Engine]

Hi Tony,
Take a good look at the VIS holster (at the picture with gen. Kopański and the field gun). In my opinion it clearly looks like a pre-war holster.
Check this out:

how rare is a pre war vis holster?

Best regards,
Tom

[A.J. Zawadzki]

Take a good look at the VIS holster (at the picture with gen. Kopański and the field gun). In my opinion it clearly looks like a pre-war holster. . . .

Hi Tom,

I overlooked that picture for some reason ( aging eyes! ). Yes, I agree with you. That definitely appears to be a pre-war pattern holster. The cleaning rod is visible in its distinctive location.

Maybe on day we’ll start up a thread titled “Pre-war equipment used by the Exiled Armed Forces” as I have often wondered about the pre-war items visible in WW2 period photographs such as uniform items, badges, and firearms.

Translation of the caption below: Vis pistols were favoured firearms not only of the (underground “AK”) Home Army, but also of the Polish Armed Forces in the West. In the photograph are officers of the 1st Armoured Division of General Maczek in liberated Holland. Take note of the tanker’s holster for a revolver custom converted by the addition of two magazine pockets – can this be a Vis pistol from September (1939)?

(I am uncertain where this photograph is obtained from, and therefore cannot provide credit where it is due)

Regards,
Tony

[Thomas the Tank Engine]

Hi Tony,
This picture was published in the August 2004 issue of Strzał. Magazyn o broni, a Polish equivalent to Guns & Ammo magazine. Without wishing to boast (or maybe a little ) I 've got in my collection a photo of two 3 DSK soldiers, one with the VIS and another one with the Luger. Unfortunately for you, I'm going to publish it elsewhere ...

Regards,
Tom

[A.J. Zawadzki]

This picture was published in the August 2004 issue of Strzał. Magazyn o broni, a Polish equivalent to Guns & Ammo . . .

Thanks! Yes, I have this issue. Besides the eyesight, the memory is failing too ;o)

. . . I 've got in my collection a photo of two 3 DSK soldiers, one with the VIS and another one with the Luger. Unfortunately for you, I'm going to publish it elsewhere ...

OK, be that way . . .

“Life ends when you stop dreaming, hope ends when you stop believing, love ends when you stop caring, friendship ends when you stop sharing... “

Cheers,
Tony

[Thomas the Tank Engine]

Please don't be angry with me, it's not about sharing. I just want it to be an unpublished photo added to my article( or book - I don't know yet, how big it's going to be) on stuff liberated by Polish soldiers during WW2. That's all. There allways has to be some creme de la creme, Tony... Be patient, lad!

[Thomas the Tank Engine]

There allways has to be some creme de la creme, Tony...

I misspelled "always", forgive me such a childish mistake...


Maybe this nice pic of a Polish Labor Service Company guard armed with the MP 40 will cheer you up, Tony. At least, I hope it will...

Regards,
Tom