Ukrainian Liberation Army armsheild

**Adrian Stevenson** · 01-11-2010, 01:01 PM

Hi Guys, here is a peice of foreign volunteer insignia from my collection. This is the armsheild worn by members of the Ukrainian Liberation Army.

To Western eyes the letters look like "YBB". The letters when coverted to the Latin alphabet are "UVV". In Ukrainian it reads: Українське Визвольне Військо.

I bought this one about 30 years ago now.

It is a machine embroidered pattern which has been attributed to the type used on greatcoats. This one has been worn. But I must admit I washed it all those years ago as it was really dirty and smelly. Something I would not dream about doing today of course, but we as collectors evolve and learn with experience.

I have a couple of other Ukrainian items in my collection which display well together, a trench art ring and a Roland Battalion cap cockade:

Trident of Vladimir ring

https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/heer-...cap-badge-782/

As you can see, all these items feature the "Trident of Vladimir" design.

Cheers, Ade.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 01-11-2010 01:01 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**sitges1990** · 01-11-2010, 04:41 PM

Great patch Ade. So did the volunteers wear the patch with the field green or gray uniforms? Doesn't look like washing hurt it at all. I've never seen a patch like this. I bet the Russians weren't nice to these guys if they caught them.

Take care, Jay

**Adrian Stevenson** · 01-11-2010, 07:35 PM

Hi Jay, the insignia was worn on the conventional German Army issue tunic (M36, M40 or M43 etc) or on the greatcoat.

If caught by the Soviets these guys would either be shot out of hand as traitors, or if they were "lucky" they would be sentenced to about 25 years hard labour in the Gulags.

Cheers, Ade.

**Shadwellarmy** · 02-21-2013, 09:46 PM

Nice rare patch Ade

Were there ever any "lucky" ones? I've read that Stalin issued orders that any Soviet citizen caught fighting for the Germans were to be shot on spot.

Cheers, Mads