Fellows,
A few more very interesting pictures featuring - various Eagles in application.
In particular - looks like even Gen Maczek during his "French time" had to improvise.
Fellows,
A few more very interesting pictures featuring - various Eagles in application.
In particular - looks like even Gen Maczek during his "French time" had to improvise.
Fellows,
France 39
Fellows,
I hope You will find it helpful.
Finally, I have managed to obtain quality picture of Eagle that had been classified by Plk Mincer as the 1st Eagle of SBSK – made in Syria (most likely at the Homs camp) between Q1 – Q2 1940, before relocation of the brigade to British controlled Palestine - On 30 June 1940. SBSK initially composed of 319 officers and 3,437 soldiers and then numbers increased up to c4700 service personnel.
Picture comes from Sikorski’s archives.
It appears to be casted from the French made classic Aluv.. 1939.
From my own research – predominantly based on pictorial archives, is appears that this early SBSK Eagle is relatively rare and it is far more difficult to get that the SBSK Tobruk badge itself.
Hello,
Here is my example. Thank you
Regards
A.S.
Fellows,
I have managed to find this Eagle dating to 1920/30ts – which, I think, was the symbol of the Riffles Association.
The Association, was actually re-established in 1919 (after being amalgamated into Pilsudski’s Legions in 1914).
It may be a pure co-incidence – but this Eagle actually was found in France.
Obviously it is not the Maczek’s one , neither there is a guarantee that the coin was added in 1944, but equally it may well be an actual confirmation – in addition to the picture of Maczek that the Eagles of the Riffles Association had somehow made to France and had been used at the early stages of formation of the Polish Army and then perhaps by Resistance.
Whatever happened – i think the Eagle is great.
Fellows,
I think it is worth posting this Eagle – as well as the explanatory note.
Eagle relates to the Polish Army Veterans Association of America (SWAP) and is believed to be minted in the 1930s by W&H.
Interestingly, W&H had also made the famous small "Armia Polska" Eagle used from 1917 onwards in USA, France and Poland as the Blue Army moved to defend re-erected borders of the country regaining independence.
During World War I American Polonia has made a significant contribution to the revival of an independent Polish state. In addition to financial support Polonia in the United States and Canada delivered more than 20,000 volunteers to the Polish Army in France, popularly known as the "Blue Army" and commanded by gen J. Haller. Apox 14.5 thousand had returned to America after the war.
Actually and sadly, in 1919-20 some of the Haller's volunteers had been forcibly expelled from Poland by politically motivated Pilsudski and some of them send back "home" almost at the same time as the Bolsheviks has been approaching Warsaw.
In May 1921 at a convention in Cleveland (OH) the Polish Army Veterans Association of America (SWAP) had been established. Its first president was Dr. med. Teofil Starzynski, a prominent activist of the Union of Polish Falcons of America.
Initially, the most important task was to organize support for SWAP members living in the United States and Canada, mainly war invalids, the sick, the unemployed and the homeless ex. Polish soldiers. This purpose was served by cash collections called "blawatek" to fund shelters for homeless and the establishment of workshops for unemployed.
With significant help for veterans came to the great Polish patriot, world-renowned pianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski, who in 1926 donated $ 10,000 to the disabled of SWAP, the Disability Fund was named after him.
In the interwar period there was a rapid development of the organization. In 1921 SWAP network had 66 posts consisting total of 1746 members. In 1939, the number of posts increased to 141. They worked in the US, Canada and Poland numbering total 4450 members. SWAP also crated auxiliary organizations: Auxiliary Corps (est. In 1925.), Association of Friends of the Polish Army Veterans (est. In 1931.) And the Sons and Daughters of the Polish Army Veterans (est. In 1931 also.).
During the Second World War SWAP supported the Polish Armed Forces in the West, including X-ray ambulance for Polish troops stationed in the UK; sending parcels for Polish prisoners of war in Germany and helping the recruitment campaign for the Polish army, conducted in the United States and Canada in 1941-1942.
In the years 1945-1985 in addition to a statutory SWAP activities, it also supported materially veterans of World War I - the former American volunteers who live in communist Poland were deprived of any state benefits. In addition, SWAP supported the victims of natural disasters in Poland, especially floods; supported blind war invalids; organized financial support for the "Solidarity" and sent a humanitarian medicine, food parcels, clothing etc. At that time also supported SWAP Polish war invalids living in the West, and took care of Polish war cemeteries in France and Italy
After 1989 SWAP made regular contact with the Polish in 1992. In 1996, he founded SWAP plaque in the Cathedral of the Polish Army in Warsaw. Two years later, in 1998, SWAP funded the monument of the Polish Americans’ Army Volunteers in Warsaw.
Hello,
I want to share with you, small casted Eagle badge without shield, From my small collection. Discussed on the forum before. Thank you
Regards
Alex
Hello,
Small cast middle eastern variant of Eagle badge, with shield. Thank you
Regards
Alex
Hello,
Again, from my humble collection, Polish Air Force Eagle badge( plastic made by Stanley and Sons)
Happy Easter!
Wesolych Swiat Wielkanocnych!
Kind Regards
Alex
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