Could you help me identify this uniform?

[Woland]

Hi guys!

I'm doing a bit of family history research on my great grandfather. I've come across a photo of him in a military uniform and I would like to have all the info I can get on it. I know he served in the 2nd Polish Army Corps (a.k.a. Anders' Army) but he might have been an officer in Poland already before the war. Can anyone say anything about the type of armed forces, rank, period or anything really from the picture below? I know less than nothing about these things, so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot in advance!

[Hubal]

Your grandfather was an officer in the Polish Army before the Second World War. In this photo he is wearing the Polish uniform wz.36(model 1936), so the photo could have been taken between the years 1936-1939. Your grandfather was a porucznik (lieutenant) denoted by two stars in the 29th artillery regiment (29 pulk artylerii lekkiej -Grodno- Suwalki). The collar patches appear very dark therefore my conclusion that he served in the artillery. If he was in the artillery , the collar patches would have been dark green velvet , black piping, with silver embroidered zigzag for officers. The other option would have been 29th infantry regiment denoted by blue collar patches with yellow piping. Maybe you have some additional info about your grandfather that could help narrow the search.

[Woland]

Wow, thank you so much for the info, that's amazing! Th 29th artillery regiment sound about right, because he lived in what was then western Poland, near Grodno. The only thing I could add to the info above would be that he, according to some information, might have taken part in the defence of Warsaw and that he afterwards ended up in the USSR before joining Anders' Army.

[pat15567]

I would rather say that picture was taken between summer 1935 and january of 1938, cause this artillery lieutenant still got old pattern of collar patches. New pattern of patches known as "wz.36" was annouced in august of 1936 and the new regulations allowed wearing of old patterns till january 1938.

[Hubal]

You are correct, he is wearing the wz.27 patches.