Named Polish SD jacket help needed.

[LucN]

Guys,
I was asked by Tony to show my Polish SD jacket on this forum, it is a bit of an enigma. It seems it has been "enhanced" by previous owners and I would like to bring it back to its original condition.
It is dated 31-5-1944 and named to Jan Rostworowski. In one of the pockets was a picture, to the back it reads:
“ the photograph served as a backing beneath the badge of the Warrant Officer’s Infantry and Motorized Cavalry School in Great Britain, the uniform probably belonged to 2nd Lt. Jan Rostwarowski.”
The officer on the left in the picture has leather football buttons on his jacket so I presume Lt J. Rostwarowski is the officer on the right.

The PISM have found the following:
"There was a 2nd Lieutenant born 10-9-1919 Jan Maria Rostworoski who did serve in the Soldiers Welfare Section in the 4th Infantry Division, I Corps stationed in Scotland. He had previously served in the C-in-C's military office. He later studied in Edinburgh and served with the Polish Resettlement Corps before demobilisation."

When I recieved the jacket it had slip on shoulder rank straps, I have replaced them with proper stars; when I removed the slip ons the holes for the stars were visible.
I was advised on the Wehrmacht forum that the 8th Army shield was missing. Indeed it seemed some badge had previsouly been mounted on the right sleeve and I have sewn on a bullion 8th Army patch.

Given the info from the PISM; what is your opinion on medal bars/insignia? What would be needed to bring it back in its original condition?

Thanks, Luc

[Mariusz]

Welcome, and thank you for showing us your Polish SD jacket I don’t think I can help you restoring jacket. To me it looks nice, and I would like to see more of the picture if you have it.
Mariusz

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Luc, I just wanted to say welcome to the forum! Nice to have you here.

Cheers, Ade.

[MichalMag]

Hello!

I remember this jacket from WAF forum

Am I right that collar pennons are 7 Pulk Artylerii Konnej?, but i can't find Jan Rostworowski or Rostwarowski in 7PAK soldier list.

The "ramie pancerne" patch seems to be sappers patch.

I think you are right that this jacket is like enigma It will be very hard to decode that. You should search it's owner history. It's possible that he was first in 2nd Polish Corps, and afterwards in 1st Polish Corps. In my opinion you should write to Sikorski Institute.

Regards Michal

[Gary J]

Good to see you onboard Luc

Gary J.

[LucN]

Thanks for your warm welcome guys, I hope I can contribute regularly.

Michal, yes it was posted on the WAF, Tony identified the Horse Artillery collar pennons and the sapper black and red stripe under the mailed fist badge.
I have contacted the Sikorski insitute, the quote from my first post is from Dr. Andrzej Suchcitz (keeper of archives) at the Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum (=PISM).

Mariusz, what pictures would you like to see?

[Mariusz]

Can you post complete jacket? What we see are close up picture (witch is great). And of course any thing else you have, im only on that forum so I did not see your items, pictures.

[cichociemny]

Judging from the ribbons, esp. France and Germany star, this officer served first in the 1st Polish Armoured div and transferred later to the 7DAK which was part of the 2 Polish Corps, perphaps it was his pre-1939 unit?

Uniform looks very good, unmessed original.

[LucN]

this officer served first in the 1st Polish Armoured div and transferred later to the 7DAK which was part of the 2 Polish Corps, perphaps it was his pre-1939 unit?

Uniform looks very good, unmessed original.

Mariusz, I will take some better pictures over the weekend.

[cichociemny]

Do not listen to museums. One of my hobbys is to go to the Polish Army Museum in Warsaw and argue with some of their "specialists" about their uniforms A lot of their PSZ collection has many repros or messed with tunics, i know they hate when a younger person ( me being 26) comes and tells them their wrong.

As for this tunic. Well the ribbons show, that this oficer served in the Polish army in France 1940, and served in a "operational" role in France 1944-45, hence the France and Germany star. Now the only formations which qualified for this star were the Polish Parachute brigade, 1st Armoured Div, Polish aircrew and Polish Navy personel supporting the d-day landings.

As a member of the 7DAK he could not qualify for this star!
Perphaps he added himself the ribbon which was popular. I have seen many photos of polish paras wearing the F&G star ribbon however from paperwork they never jumped at Arnhem and should not have qualified for it.

From the photos, im 99% sure it has not been messed with.
Poland titles, typical officer English made ones, buttons nice original English made ones. Patches look good. Exept for the ribbons it all makes sense.