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WWLLExile Czech Military Badge

Article about: Hi, my first post. Thank you for allowing me to join your ranks. I'm a retired US Army SGM and I now enjoy collecting badges (country immaterial) but lean towards the Combat Arms. I've come

  1. #1
    Army SGM
    ?

    Default WWLLExile Czech Military Badge

    Hi, my first post. Thank you for allowing me to join your ranks. I'm a retired US Army SGM and I now enjoy collecting badges (country immaterial) but lean towards the Combat Arms. I've come across a badge that I believe to be a WWII Exile Czech badge. Front JPEG attached. I would like to learn the branch of of service and type unit it was assigned to. Any help will be most appreciated, Nick.WWLLExile Czech Military Badge

  2. #2

    Default

    hi,
    this is a Free Czech Forces in UK cap OR badge for service cap/ side cap.
    Are there 2 lugs or bending blades on the reverse?
    cheers,
    s.

  3. #3

    Default

    Interesting, I see the slovak cross inthe midle.
    The best Militaria forum in France is here : http://deutsch-militaria.forumactif.us/

  4. #4

    Default

    that's correct. Czechoslovakia used this crest into 50's. The shield represented Slovakia. the 'anchor' shape of the Slovak cross is a giveaway for British manufactured badges (ie CZ army in UK). There should be three hills, the middle one being taller than the side ones, with a Slovak cross on the top of it.WWLLExile Czech Military Badge

    Attached is a British made badge for NCO/officers.

  5. #5
    ?

    Default

    Interesting information regarding the free-Czech. This is a British production badge that always struck me as a little strange. Intended to provoke sympathy and support for the Czech resistance and homeland I suppose?.

    WWLLExile Czech Military Badge
    WWLLExile Czech Military Badge
    WWLLExile Czech Military Badge
    WWLLExile Czech Military Badge

  6. #6

    Default

    hi, many of the Free Czechs' commemorative badges are a bit of a mystery as hardly any papework survived either in the Military or the producers' Archives. This badge is believed to have been a 'thankyou' present for the families that eg billeted Free Czech soldiers during their holidays or otherwise played a role of a host-family to Czech airmen and soldiers.

    cheers,
    s.

  7. #7
    ?

    Default

    Beautiful original badge Nick! I have two OR's examples: one with blades and one with lugs. Also an NCO badge with blades.

    WWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military Badge

  8. #8

    Default

    First what you need to know it is the fact that Czechoslovakia had a units as West (1st Czechoslovak Armored Brigade Group in Great Britain) at East (Czechoslovak Unit at East, it has begun as Battalion and finished as Army Corps). From my point of view the badges can be from West as from East, even from Middle East (our unit was situated there and then moved to Africa and some soldiers to USSR). Small badges were also produced in Palestine, then in USSR and at the end in liberated parts of Czechoslovakia (Stoltz Matejovce near town of Poprad and in the town of Kremnica). All side cap and fur hat badges can be from West or from East - had to say after the pictures and if you cannot see the back side. I have attached a couple of pictures of badges from my personal collection where you can see badge with small state Czechoslovak badge (used for field caps - at East for all ranks) and for the fur hats for NCO and privates. The larger badge with small Czechoslovak state badge with swords was used at ushankas of warrant officers (silver color) and all officers (gold color) and visor caps. At field caps (FS caps) Warrant officers and officers used small badge same as privates and NCOs.

    The badges were used different way at West but I am not familiar with their use. So I do not want to lay down here any mystification.

    Here are couple of pictures mostly from my own collection and in a few times from collection of my friends (collectors). Just a few were manufactured in UK, but most of them out of UK as in Middle East, USSR and Slovakia (liberated parts of Czechoslovakia in 1945). Details about these types of badges you can find in my reference book which is planned for the issue at 70th anniversary of the end of WW2 in Europe in next May 2015.

    As person who can see the difficulties in this issue I would just make the clarification that is field service and fur cap (ushanka) badge with small Czechoslovak state badge used by Czechoslovak forces in WWII.

    WWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military Badge

    WWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeAttachment 691717WWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military Badge

  9. #9

    Default Free Czechoslovakia Army in Britain Insignia

    Hi Ltmoravcuk

    I am wondering if you can help me. I acquired a Free Czech Army uniform locally and I need insignia for it.

    It is a Canadian made battledress 1944 dated with Czech Officers red epaulette insignia with one silver dome on each red slip on. The one sleeve has a red on green Czechoslovakia shoulder title above an cotton thread and bullion embroidered Czech National symbol. Unfortunately whoever donated this battle dress to the Salvation Army stripped the shoulder title and national insignia from the other sleeve. The shoulder title looks to be theater made, not British made. I would suggest Dutch made. There is an unknown "trade" ?? badge on the left sleeve. It is made like a British trade badge with buff on khaki wool and resembles the front grill of a truck or one of those harp like instruments? There was a medal ribbon that has also been removed.

    What I would like to do is to restore it however I am sure the missing insignia Is quite scarce. Do you know anyone with bullion Czech insignia and shoulder titles for sale?

    Also, do yo have any clue what the sleeve "trade"? insignia might be?

    Finally what rank is a red epaulette slip-on with a silver dome shaped pip in the middle?

    It is obvious to me that this uniform belonged to a veteran of the Czech tank brigade that fought with the Canadian Army in NW Europe.

    I would really appreciate your help

    Regards

    Ken




    Quote by Ltmoravcuk View Post
    First what you need to know it is the fact that Czechoslovakia had a units as West (1st Czechoslovak Armored Brigade Group in Great Britain) at East (Czechoslovak Unit at East, it has begun as Battalion and finished as Army Corps). From my point of view the badges can be from West as from East, even from Middle East (our unit was situated there and then moved to Africa and some soldiers to USSR). Small badges were also produced in Palestine, then in USSR and at the end in liberated parts of Czechoslovakia (Stoltz Matejovce near town of Poprad and in the town of Kremnica). All side cap and fur hat badges can be from West or from East - had to say after the pictures and if you cannot see the back side. I have attached a couple of pictures of badges from my personal collection where you can see badge with small state Czechoslovak badge (used for field caps - at East for all ranks) and for the fur hats for NCO and privates. The larger badge with small Czechoslovak state badge with swords was used at ushankas of warrant officers (silver color) and all officers (gold color) and visor caps. At field caps (FS caps) Warrant officers and officers used small badge same as privates and NCOs.

    The badges were used different way at West but I am not familiar with their use. So I do not want to lay down here any mystification.

    Here are couple of pictures mostly from my own collection and in a few times from collection of my friends (collectors). Just a few were manufactured in UK, but most of them out of UK as in Middle East, USSR and Slovakia (liberated parts of Czechoslovakia in 1945). Details about these types of badges you can find in my reference book which is planned for the issue at 70th anniversary of the end of WW2 in Europe in next May 2015.

    As person who can see the difficulties in this issue I would just make the clarification that is field service and fur cap (ushanka) badge with small Czechoslovak state badge used by Czechoslovak forces in WWII.

    WWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military Badge

    WWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeAttachment 691717WWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military BadgeWWLLExile Czech Military Badge

  10. #10

    Default

    Quote by Force 136 View Post
    Hi Ltmoravcuk

    I am wondering if you can help me. I acquired a Free Czech Army uniform locally and I need insignia for it.

    It is a Canadian made battledress 1944 dated with Czech Officers red epaulette insignia with one silver dome on each red slip on. The one sleeve has a red on green Czechoslovakia shoulder title above an cotton thread and bullion embroidered Czech National symbol. Unfortunately whoever donated this battle dress to the Salvation Army stripped the shoulder title and national insignia from the other sleeve. The shoulder title looks to be theater made, not British made. I would suggest Dutch made. There is an unknown "trade" ?? badge on the left sleeve. It is made like a British trade badge with buff on khaki wool and resembles the front grill of a truck or one of those harp like instruments? There was a medal ribbon that has also been removed.

    What I would like to do is to restore it however I am sure the missing insignia Is quite scarce. Do you know anyone with bullion Czech insignia and shoulder titles for sale?

    Also, do yo have any clue what the sleeve "trade"? insignia might be?

    Finally what rank is a red epaulette slip-on with a silver dome shaped pip in the middle?

    It is obvious to me that this uniform belonged to a veteran of the Czech tank brigade that fought with the Canadian Army in NW Europe.

    I would really appreciate your help

    Regards

    Ken
    hi,

    the colour on the shoulder patches indicates the Army branch

    bright red: General Staff
    crimson red: infantry
    brick red: artillery
    yellow: Horse (recce)
    dark brown: engineers corps
    light brown: signals
    air force: sky blue (however, these were not used in exile as airmen were embodied in the RAF

    one pip: (I reckon "svobodnik" - lance corporal)

    I should very much like to see the pics indeed as there is a number of original shoulder titles I have in my collection or have seen elsewhere, though I've never heard of any Dutch made exiled Czech insignia.
    From what I gather from you trade badge description, my guess is what you are refering to is a standard bandsman battledress patch. does it look anything like the one depicted on the postcard attached?
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture WWLLExile Czech Military Badge  

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