re eagle pic

[Maudy]

please help identify these badges!!!
they were my grandfathers an myself and the family want to know
everything and anything...
my grandfather was called waclaw karolczuk...
these badges are for sale....

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

The eagle on the left is the standard Polish Army cap badge. But the pin fitting I think has been replaced to enable it to be worn as a broach. The Regimental badge I do not recognise, sorry, Uhlans I guess, but someone will know it.

Cheers, Ade.

[A.J. Zawadzki]

Hi again Maudy,

The badge is that of the 25th “Wielkopolska” (Greater Poland) Lancers attached to the 5th “Kresowa” (Frontier) Infantry Division of the Polish 2nd Corps. The eagle badge is a standard type, but a scarcer plated brass version. Ade is correct about the pinback modification.

I recall in an earlier post of yours that you expressed some affection for your grandfather. My suggestion would be to keep these souvenirs of his WW2 service and assemble a small display frame to honour his memory. This could become a family heirloom that you could pass down. I understand the temptation to sell such pieces for quick cash, but I have also heard more than a few tales of regret for letting go important pieces of family history.

Your grandfather was a veteran of a unit with a very rich and valorous history. There’s a good possibility that he survived incarceration on the Soviet Union. Did he ever talks to you about his WW2 experience?

Before you decide to sell anything please do consider reading up on some of the history of the Polish Armed Forces in WW2, and in particular the Polish 2nd Corps. I strongly recommend “An Army In Exile” by the commanding officer of the 2nd Corps General Wladyslaw Anders. I guarantee that you will gain a new appreciation for the significance of these items and of your grandfather’s service. It may just launch you on an interesting and rewarding journey – one that many members of this forum are on. I am one of them!

Regards,
Tony

[ccj]

I too recommend always keeping your families military medals and badges.
Nice badges by the way...

[3mk]

Hey Maudy,
Please keep these badges,I can gurantee your going to regret ever selling them.This is the exact 1 your Grandfather was awarded and nothing will ever change that.If you sell these items you and the other generations to come will truely regret it.Sure you can buy another of these badges but you will end up spending a load of cash and it wont feel as good as having the exact one he was awarded.Just think about all the history these badges have seen fighting in Northern Africa and in Italy.Please do some research and try to find out what other awards he was awarded or entitled to be awarded,Me and others will be gladly to assist you.

Regards
Emil

[Taurus]

Hi again Maudy,

The badge is that of the 25th “Wielkopolska” (Greater Poland) Lancers attached to the 5th “Kresowa” (Frontier) Infantry Division of the Polish 2nd Corps. The eagle badge is a standard type, but a scarcer plated brass version.(...)

Hi Tony,

Just a word on Maudy's hat badge. Indeed, this is a scarce version of a hat badge used by the 25th Lancers but not because it is plated brass, but because it is pinchbeck silver plated. Mine still shows some 50% of silver coating. It is 54x34x0.8/0.9 mm. The original fitting is jut like Alavoine hat badges. The pinchbeck badges are really scarce.

Best regards,

Pit

[A.J. Zawadzki]

Hi Pit and thank you for that clarification, although I always thought pinchbeck is brass, just that this alloy of copper and zinc is mixed in a different proportion to more conventional brass. Regardless, I agreed that these are scarcely seen eagle variants.

Regards,
Tony

[jamest8]

Very interesting about the cap eagle

If you really do want to sell these I will keep them together for you. Just a thought :-)

James

[dorava]

The 25th lancers badge has been selling for, in the last 5 years, anywhere between $250 and 700 dollars, but mostly it is a $500 value badge. I would defer to others re the value of the eagle.