Can anyone help me identify these two badges? I believe they are WWII era.

[Zarski843]

From my research, the first one looks to be a Polish grenadier badge. I found that it is called "odznaka grenadierska", but I cannot find anything about the year that it was issued, whether it was a general grenadier badge or if it was for a specific unit (and if that unit was involved in any notable battles). And finally, I don't know if its real or not! Here are the images:




The second is some variation of a cap badge, except that it appears to be smaller and has a shield on the bottom. I attached the images below, and I included a side-by-side of another cap badge that I own that I believe is from WWI or prior. I am just not sure what the shield means. Also unsure as to if this is genuine or not. The only area that I wanted to note is that small smooth patch on the back of the badge, not sure if it was maybe from the way it was stored or the way it was preserved in the earth.




Thank you so much!

[A.J. Zawadzki]

Hi Zarski,

You're correct, it is the Odznaka Grenadierska (Grenadiers Badge) which was awarded after successful grenade training. It was authorized for use in January 1931, and was worn on the right breast at the height of the top button.

The smaller eagle badge pattern, ~40mm high, was typically for use on wedge caps although was also used on berets, navy caps (with applied anchor), and field caps. The pattern was introduced sometime around 1930.

The shield on which the eagle is perched is called the "amazon shield" and its use dates back to the eagle used by the Polish Legions serving in the French Army during the Napoleonic period.

Regards,
Tony

[Zarski843]

That's awesome!

If you had to ballpark the decade on these badges, what would you say?

[A.J. Zawadzki]

If you had to ballpark the decade on these badges, what would you say?

As per my prior post, 1930's.

Cheers,
Tony

[Zarski843]

I am sorry if my question is redundant. I like to type up summaries of what I learn about the items in my collection so I like to be sure. How does the smaller eagle badge differ from the larger one? Just different style cap that it was placed on? And does the Amazon shield suggest anything different in terms of regiment or ranking? Or is it just a different design?

I was told that the larger badge that I have is from WWI or just after, and the smaller one is unclear. Both were reportedly excavated from Latvia. So any chance the small one is actually connected to the Napoleonic wars?

[A.J. Zawadzki]

The smaller cap badge pattern was for different hat usage and at one point apparently intended only for EM and NCO ranks. The badge dates to the 1930's, so no connection to the Napoleonic wars of over a century earlier.

The amazon shield is simply a design element with no regimental or rank function. Although regiments and other motifs were sometimes applied to the shield.

The larger eagle is known as the wz.19 (model 1919) which is the year this pattern was formally adopted. So yes, technically just after WW1, although war continued in Poland as the nation was embroiled in conflicts with its neighbors to establish the national boundaries of the newly reborn state.

Regards,
Tony