Polish 1st Armoured Division Battledress Jacket

[dastier]

Photos of my father's BD jacket (sometimes called a BD blouse) that he wore while a member of the 10th Dragoons of the 1st Polish Armoured Division.
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[A.J. Zawadzki]

Fantastic survivor Many thanks for posting more pics. It looks like like those are ‘faux’ box pleats sewn onto the pockets. It was another way some Poles of snazzed up their best BD. Are there shoulder pads sewn in as well?

Regards,
Tony

[Adrian Stevenson]

I love it!

[dastier]

Fantastic survivor Many thanks for posting more pics. It looks like like those are ‘faux’ box pleats sewn onto the pockets. It was another way some Poles of snazzed up their best BD. Are there shoulder pads sewn in as well?

Regards,
Tony

Thanks for pointing out the faux box pleats - I did not know that was done for appearances sake. I seem to recall that the Poles were officially allowed to unbutton their blouses and wear ties giving them a more snazzy appearance than their British comrades. I will check about the shoulder pads but to the best of my recollection the answer is no.

There are a few things about my father's medals and blouse that hopefully can be clarified. I have photos of my father in a BD blouse with a black epaulette and lanyard on the left shoulder yet this blouse doesn't have it - why? The black epaulette and lanyard represent the lineage of the 10th Dragoons to the prewar 10th Cavalry Brigade 'the Black Brigade' as seen by the 10 BK on the 10th Dragoons badge. It does not appear to be accidentally missing from this blouse as his rank has been sewn on the left shoulder strap. Does its absence have anything to do with the PRC?

The French ribbons and their placement are also confusing. In the bottom row are ribbons for British decorations. Above is the row for Polish decorations plus one ribbon for the French Croix du Combattant Volontaire. Above that would be my father's wound ribbon. (missing but you can see the stitching) Above all is the ribbon for the French Croix de Guerre. I have documentation for the Polish, British and a "Combatant's Card" in my father's name for the Croix du Combattant Volontaire. The stitching for the Croix de Guerre and the wound ribbon (not shown) are the same but different from the other stitching which seems to indicate that these ribbons were sewn on later. Does anyone have information on the regulations for the placement of ribbons for the Polish Armed Forces in the West? I would assume that the Polish awards would be given preeminence and would be worn 'inside out' based on the 'ranking' of the medals. (KW closest to the heart) But why is the Croix de Guerre ribbon above the rest and not in the row with the other Polish and French ribbons?

Another question...

After his escape to France in 1940, my father was a member of the 10e Brigade Blindée Polonaise which was attached to the French Fourth Army. This unit was in battle near Champaubert-Montgivroux and Montbard. Would he have received the French awards for his service in France in 1940? Would these have been issued by the Free French government in London? The Croix du Combattant Volontaire ribbon shown is actually the 1914 - 1918 ribbon which according to online references was only instituted in 1935! And the ribbon for the Croix de Guerre is the 'unofficial' ribbon for 1939 - 1945. There is a Vichy Croix de Guerre with a different ribbon and the 1914 - 1918 Croix de Guerre ribbon is different as well.

Are there any references on the awarding of French medals to the Polish forces for the 1940 campaign? Thanks.

[andrzejku98]

Hi Dastier,

In answer to your question are there any referenced on the awarding of French Medals to the Polish Forces for the 1940 Campaign ? the answer is yes probably the best by far is the list contained in General Maczek's Book "od podwody do czolga" which lists the Polish awards for the Campaign in France (Virtuti Militari & Cross of Valour), plus the Croix de Guerre which lists the 40 recipients it also lists the 1944-45 recipients of the Legion d'Honneur and Croix de Guerre in their respeective grades whilst the 1940 list is just the recipients.

Best wishes


Andrzejku

[ze-pole]

Hello,
Great tunic !
No shame, in my opinion, if there is no black left shoulder... but that is not common. All the battledresses I know from this rgiment has the black left shoulder.
Probably your father had got several tunics. For this one, probably he didn't ask this particular insignia. Why ? Difficult to say. I know the polish soldiers had to pay to modify their tunics or made exchange against cigarettes for example (perhaps he didn't ask this shoulder for this particular tunic if he had it on the other(s) ?)
Pictures of the collar would be interesting.
Can I use a picture for my blog ?
1° D.B. Polonaise du Général Maczek
I will mention the forum of course.
Thank you for posting this interesting uniform here.
Best regards.
ZP

[dastier]

Andrzejku - do you know if the lists from Maczek's book are published online? Do you have his book - would you be able to post the lists here perhaps in another thread? I do not have his book and unfortunately don't read Polish.

ze pole - I do have photographs of my father in a BD blouse with lanyard and the black shoulder strap. Perhaps as you suggest he just didn't have it on this blouse. Please send me an PM in regards to your request. I'll take a better photo of the tunic and the collars.

Thanks for everyone's help. Anymore info on the French awards would be appreciated.

[A.J. Zawadzki]

Andrzejku - do you know if the lists from Maczek's book are published online? Do you have his book - would you be able to post the lists here perhaps in another thread? I do not have his book and unfortunately don't read Polish.. . .

Here are some quick scans from my copy of the book (1st edition personally dedicated and signed by General Maczek, if I may be so boastful to add ) Please excuse the hasty and sloppy cut and paste of the lists (they each spanned two pages).

I've identified both lists by campaign. I've also excerpted the Cross of Valour listing with your father's entry.

Regards,
Tony

[jamest8]

Hi Dastier
What a magnificent jacket you have there. And great provenance too.
Would you mind posting close-ups of the badges especially that lovely looking breast badge
Many thanks
James

[dastier]

Thanks to all for the kind words.

I posted a close up of the breast badge in the Polish Regimental Badges thread. I'll try to take better photos once I have a better camera.

https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/milit...adjustment.jpg