2nd Corps artillery BD

[WIL]

This is my first post apologies for any mess ups!!!!

I have a small collection of Polish battledress blouses, and would appreciate your comments regarding authenticity and any additional information that you could supply.

First up is a blouse I think , from my limited references, to be from a Motorised Artillery Unit??? If there was such a thing??



Attached to the pocket was a 2nd Corps badge, number- 079613. It also came with a black beret, the beret is a civilian type. The badge is very thin metal and is sewn on rather than attached with a clip or pin.




Any information would be much appreciated.
Thanks

[A.J. Zawadzki]

Hello Wil, and well done with your first post!

I’d like to be able to welcome you aboard with a completely positive assessment of your BD. However, the spider senses are more than just tingling with this one. Your BD is a mix of 1st and 2nd Corps, two separate formations within the Polish Armed Forces in the West, each with its own dedicated uniform insignia.

You’re correct about the Motorized Artillery connection, denoted by the green/black collar pennons. These are used only in 1st Corps by both of the Motorized Artillery regiments of the 1st Armoured Division. The 2nd Corps patch located below the left side Poland title is out of place with these pennons, although I could show an occasion where one appeared on a 1st Corps tunic along with the regulation 1st Corps patch.

There are other problematic issues as well, but without getting into a deep dissertation I’ll just say that what we have appears in all likelihood to be an attempt by someone with just enough knowledge to take a stab at badging up a uniform. This is unfortunately a relatively common practice.

On the upside is that the 1940 pattern BD blouse appears OK with a proper looking conversion to open collar. Is there a maker’s tag present? Are there shoulder pads added inside? The Poland titles and 2nd Corps patch appear genuine. The 2nd Corps commemorative badge is good. I’m less thrilled with the collar pennons, and not sure what that one ribbon bar with the oak leaf is all about. No need to write much about the civilian beret with repro eagle.

The easiest thing to do to create a reasonably accurate representative tunic, in this case for a soldier in the 1st Armoured Div, would be remove the 2nd Corps mermaid and simply replace with a 1st Corps insignia. Obviously, do not reinstall the small metal 2nd Corps badge. I'd toss the ribbon bar as well.

Sorry, I hope this hasn’t frightened you into not sharing your other Polish BD’s. We would like to see them if you're willing to share more with us.

Regards,
Tony

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Will, welcome to the forum!

I would be interested to see more too.

Cheers, Ade.

[WIL]

Hello again and thanks for the welcome to your forum.
Tony, I'm grateful for your frank and honest opinion on my BD, to tell the truth it sort of confirms my own thoughts on the BD when I purchased it , almost 10 years ago.
With my limited references at the time I couldn't find any artillery units in 2nd Corps which wore these pattern of collar pennants, so assumed, well hoped, that it was a unit that I could find in my books.
In answer to your specific questions- The maker is Moore Taggert & Co Ltd, size 12, dated 1944. There is no shoulder padding, The open collar has been opened and faced with serge material, the hooks and eyes have been removed, strangely the top button is a "dummy", the serge lining covers the inside of the top button hole and the button has been sewn directly on to the front, giving the appearance of a four button front. The back of the waistband has had extra pleats added.
Wil