Polish sidecap with service number

[Loupie1961]

Hello everybody! here comes a recent purchase, a british sidecap sporting a Poish eagle of the nut and bolt type (Polish production?) and a serial number that could be a service number? Looks like it were exceptionally low for being a SN: 338 (or 9) 24...what's your advise? a very Merry Christmas to you all!

[Loupie1961]

therefore nobody could make any guesses about the service number? could anybody confirm that the nut and bolt eagle badges are prewar examples made in Poland, or is it just my guess? thank you in advance!

[jamest8]

I'm not an egal expert but there are plenty of variations that are WW2 vintage (PSZ) with single screw mounts like yours. I suspect is was quite common to loose the original spinner and replace it with a nut and washer. Have a look at the Eagle postings where you will find plenty of examples.

In my very very limited experience most Field Service Caps like yours had their eagles on the front like the one below. But yours looks as though it has been there for a while. It would be interesting to see the back of the badge.

All the best

James

[3mk]

No expert here either, but most side caps I've seen were modified by adding 2 Polish buttons to the front like in the example above. I also never seen a period photo of the eagle being worn on the side of the cap like that. Is there any shadow mark behind the eagle?

[A.J. Zawadzki]

Hello everybody! here comes a recent purchase, a british sidecap sporting a Poish eagle of the nut and bolt type (Polish production?) and a serial number that could be a service number? Looks like it were exceptionally low for being a SN: 338 (or 9) 24...what's your advise? a very Merry Christmas to you all!

Hi Loupie, both James and Emil are on the right track with their comments. The eagle is a wz.39 type badge made for the exile forces. It appears genuine. The FS cap itself also looks good. However, while both items are genuine period, the combination is not. The eagle should be on the front for a land forces cap, and the place where it presently resides was where rank insignia belongs.

Regards,
Tony

[MichalMag]

A man with sidehat like this one in first post

Best Regards

[A.J. Zawadzki]

Hi Michal. Interesting photo. All I can say is that the FS cap this young man (boy?) is wearing does not have the eagle positioned in the location specified for land forces. But as we all know, there are always deviations from regulations!

Regards,
Tony

PS can you offer any more information about this photo?

[MichalMag]

Hello!

I found this photo yesterday on the internet, it was described "Middle East".
In my opinion he is wearing eagle on the sidecap like in pre war time. It was tradition in many polish regiments

Best Regards

[prosty zolnierz]

judging by the contrast on the photograph it is possible that the lad is wearing a RAF sidecap. the cut and perceived type of material, wool serge could bear this out. pity the original pic is unavailable. the cap could still retain RAF brass buttons, as a crown and albatross can be discerned on the top button. total conjecture mind you.

[A.J. Zawadzki]

judging by the contrast on the photograph it is possible that the lad is wearing a RAF sidecap. . . . .

My thoughts exactly. The FS cap fabric does appear quite dark. But I looked over other B&W period photos and even with ones that are obviously khaki brown/green there are wide variations in how the colour appears in B&W

Hello!

I found this photo yesterday on the internet, it was described "Middle East".
In my opinion he is wearing eagle on the sidecap like in pre war time. It was tradition in many polish regiments

Perhaps the photo was taken before the uniform regulations were decreed in London in 1941? See below for Land Forces FS caps (furażerki) regs taken from the official "Dziennik Rozkazów " publication from October of that year. Regardless, as mentioned previously, regulations were not always adhered to.

Regards,
Tony