General Anders parachutist !!!

[enca]

I wish to show you these photos of Gen. Anders, at the Polish War Cemetery in Bologna, they are dated May 1964.
The general, above the right breast pocket, wears the Italian parachutist qualification badge, post WW2 issue!
I didn’t know that gen. Anders was qualified as parachutist!
Maybe he received the badge as a souvenir during a visit to an Italian parachutist unit.
Does anyone have more information ??

Regards
Enzo

P.S. The man behind gen. Anders in the B/W photo is gen. Duch.

[rsunday]

Hello Enzo,
Interesting photo!

i think that Gen. Anders received Italian para wings as honourary badge.

Greetings
Rafal

[GFC]

Is the Badge Anders is wearing the gold-colored instructors badge?

[enca]

The para badge for instructors is backed with red fabric.
The gold one was issued to those who effected springs during WW2, but later it was issued to those engaged in a parachutist unit in WW2.
Someone says that this gold badge was awarded only to senior officers and general, but I am not 100% sure of this.

E.

[enca]

Apart from the many ribbons, wound badges and the commander's cross of V.M., the General wears the green sash and the breast plaque of the Italian order of the St. Mauritius and Lazarus.
The other plaque is of the order of Homayoun of Persia (Iran).
Formerly it was known as the order of the lion and the sun.
I don't know exactly the badge on the right breast pocket: cavalry school?

E.

[A.J. Zawadzki]

. . . I don't know exactly the badge on the right breast pocket: cavalry school?

Buon giorno Enzo,

Known by several names since it’s inception in 1919, it is the badge of the ‘Wyższa Szkola Wojenna’ (Senior Military Academy) in Warsaw. The badge was awarded to graduates of this school following completion of a two year course of study. It is commonly called the General Staff badge (Sztab Generalny), which the letters “SG” (on which the Polish eagle is perched) represent.

Thanks for posting these photos. I have never seen them before.

Regards,
Tony

[enca]

Thanks for the photos of the badge.

Enzo

[A.J. Zawadzki]

Hi Enzo,

You’re welcome. This badge has always been a personal favorite of mine.

I’d love to determine if the one on General Anders’ uniform originated in pre-war Poland, or was it custom made for him while in exile. I suspect the former, although I have seen this badge displayed on the uniforms of other officers of the PSZnZ and have pondered whether they are all ones that had found their way out of occupied Poland.

Regards,
Tony