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Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State

Article about: by dastier PPsh 41 in use during the Warsaw Uprising. Where would AK battle group "GURT" have sourced these Russian weapons? During the Rising or earlier from Russian partisan grou

  1. #101

    Default Re: Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State

    Quote by 3mk View Post
    ...It's possible, a couple thousand wz.31 shells survived the war to be converted into wz.31/50 helmets.
    Lets hope so!

  2. #102
    3mk
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    Default Re: Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State

    The Błyskawica (Lightning in English) smg was designed by Armia Krajowa member Wacław Zawrotny in 1942, after the design was accepted by higher ranks production of prototypes began in 1943. The gun itself was based off of the designs of the Germany Mp-40 smg and British Sten smg, both popular weapons within the Polish underground. So that the gun could be easily produced the gun was put together by screws and threads, no bolts and or welding. It used 9mm caliber bullets, so that ammunition could be taken from Germans. Around 700 examples were produced in the Warsaw area, but I'm sure more examples were built in workshops throughout occupied Poland. The magazine held 32 rounds, the machine gun was capable of firing off 600 rounds per minute. It was proved to be effective within a range of 200 meters.

    Heres an iconic photo from the Warsaw Uprising of the Błyskawica. During the Warsaw Uprising 30-40 Błyskawica machine guns were produced.

    Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State

    And here is the design on the shoulder stock of the weapon, from which the Błyskawica got its name from

    Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State

  3. #103
    3mk
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    Default Re: Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State

    I found this website today, I thought I should share it on here.
    http://www.cruffler.com/trivia-October00.html

    Lots of good info about Underground manufactured weapons. Heres a photo from the site of markings on a Polish Sten gun copy.

    Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State

  4. #104

    Default Re: Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State

    Quote by 3mk View Post
    I found this website today, I thought I should share it on here.
    http://www.cruffler.com/trivia-October00.html

    Lots of good info about Underground manufactured weapons. Heres a photo from the site of markings on a Polish Sten gun copy.
    Thanks Emil, great link


    I do like this weapon especially —KOP/PAL Buttless Stens

    Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State

    Perfect for hiding inside a coat
    Last edited by StefanM; 10-29-2012 at 03:36 PM.
    I collect, therefore I am.

    Nothing in science can explain how consciousness arose from matter.

  5. #105

    Default Re: Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State

    No updates in this thread for a while so here are a couple of Gwardia Ludowa (GL) partisan photos—1942 Radom-Kielce district.

    Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State
    I collect, therefore I am.

    Nothing in science can explain how consciousness arose from matter.

  6. #106

    Default Re: Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State

    Were the Gwardia Ludowa partisans affiliated to the Polish communists? I can see what appears to be two Soviet soldiers in the photos. Soviet 'advisors' (commissars) perhaps?

    As well, I count at least six PPSh 41 submachineguns in the top photo.

  7. #107

    Default Re: Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State

    Quote by dastier View Post
    Were the Gwardia Ludowa partisans affiliated to the Polish communists? I can see what appears to be two Soviet soldiers in the photos. Soviet 'advisors' (commissars) perhaps?

    As well, I count at least six PPSh 41 submachineguns in the top photo.
    Absolutely right Mike, they represented the communist Polish Workers Party and remained outside the structures of the Polish Underground State of the Polish government-in-exile. Mainly involved with acts of sabotage on German logistics targets.

    Units of the GL also sometimes fought against the Armia Krajowa and NSZ in tit for tat actions and reprisals that would set the pattern for the later civil war between the Polish nationalists and Polish communists during the Stalinisation of Poland.

    The Soviets had been parachuting "specialists" into Poland with communications equipment to coordinate sabotage action with Soviet planners and arms supply drops and to help train Poles.
    I collect, therefore I am.

    Nothing in science can explain how consciousness arose from matter.

  8. #108

    Default Re: Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State

    I would expect many people to come up with such a questions as yours Dastier, because unless you read specifically about them, you will not see much publication on them or come across much news. They are one of the many pieces of junk that thankfully are in the rubbish bin of the restored Rzeczpospolita.

  9. #109
    3mk
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    Default Re: Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State

    Hi guys,

    Here are some photos I found online of Allied supply drops to the Home Army. Does anyone know if denim battledress tunics were also dropped into Poland or only wool tunics?

    Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State

    Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State

    Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State

    Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State

    Uniforms and Insignia of the Polish Underground State

  10. #110

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    Quote by dastier View Post
    To get an opinion as to how the Polish partisans would have acquired the M31 Suomi submachineguns. (Finnish designation: Kp/31), I posted photos of the AK unit operating in Radom-Kielce in another forum.

    In response it was suggested that those SMGs would have been captured from German Police irregulars or SS Police Division units and possibly Waffen SS. Here is a photo showing a Kp/31 Suomi being used by member of the bodyguard of SS and Police Leader of Warsaw, Jürgen Stroop, during the liquidation of the Warsaw Ghetto in 1943. (left background)

    Attachment 401455

    Also a German SS soldier is armed with a MP28 Bergmann submachinegun on the right. One of the previous AK unit photos shows a partisan possibly armed with a Bergmann.
    Polish pre-war police had 50 Suomi KP31s purchased in early 1930s.
    Additional 20 were purchased by the Army - 10 were used for testing and 10 were issued to Military Police.
    Polish Mors wz. 39 was influenced by the Suomi KP31.

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