GregK

Hi Adam, Nice cross. Sorry I didn't reply sooner. As for evaluations it is difficult to say. Ebay is a tricky place to sell as what may sell for hundreds of dollars one week may only sell for half the next. I know this from personal experience with selling on ebay. What I can tell you is that the realistic prices for the items you have are as follows (all prices US$): - Monte Cassino Cross w/document - $200.00 - Cross of Valour (sans ribbon) w/document - $125.00 - $150.00 - Jerusalem Cross - $65.00 - $75.00 - 3 DSK Badge - $75.00 - Cap Badge - $50.00 - Misc. Documents - $25.00 (without knowing what they are it is difficult to give an accurate value.) That works out to $500.00 USD (just over 300 pounds). The bulk of the value is in the fact that the documents survive with the medals. If this were not the base you could cut the value in half (approximately). You might be able to add a few pounds as it is a true grouping. Hope that was of some help. Cheers, Greg

Hello, Nice little collection. I can help ID some of them if you'd like. - At the very top middle you have a collar tab to the General Staff. Left of it is a loose eagle for the collar. Typical small sized cap eagle is to the right. - Next row shows the typical issue badge to the 5 Kresowa Infantry Div. made by Lorioli Right of that is a sleeve insignia to the same division. Interesting to note that it is made of plastic that was liberated from an Italian factory. 2nd Warsaw Armoured Div. badge made by Lorioli. Miniature of the Indepnedant Carpathian Rifle Brigade and to the right of it you have the standard issue 3 Carpathian Rifles Div. badge and miniature, bit made by Lorioli. It appears as if someone has made a watch fob of it at some point in time. - Typical ribbons start the next row. I am unfamiliar with the yellow shield badge as it IS NOT Polish. Cross of Merit w/Swords. Hard to tell the class from the photo but it appears silver. Cross of Valour and ribbon bar. Polish Army Medal with original "hook and eye" ribbon.Standard Polish 2nd Corps badge (should be serial #'d). Last item in the row is a pre-war Polish collar tab for the Artillery. - At the very bottom you have a miniature of the Polonia Restituta 4th Class awarded to Officers. The pair of collar pennons are for the Headquarters of the 2nd Armoured Brigade. They are made by Picchiani & Barlacchi Firenze. Hope that helped. Nice little lot indeed. Cheers, Greg

Picture does not show up. Please provide a photo so we can help you better. Greg

This is a generic Communist issue medal case. Could have been pretty much any medal issued between 1946 and 1989. It does appear to be an earlier case so that would narrow down what award it might have held. Any outlines in the lining? Cheers, Greg

Details were scarce but there was a firm release time frame. It was initially supposed be out by May of this year but that has been pushed back until somewhere near the end of 2010. If I get details regarding pre-ordering I will gladly share them. Cheers, Greg

The list does exist at the Sikorski. In speaking with them last month I was told that there will be books of the entire list printed and available to the public by the end of the year. I was not made aware of the cost associated with this tome but I was told that the print run will be fairly limited. Cheers, Greg

Hi Claude, As the photo is a little blurry it is hard for me to make out the details. Can you confirm that the color of the collar badges is yellow, red stripe, and white? If not then please clarify the color and I will get you all the information you need. Thanks, Greg

Textbook pre-war Polish binoculars. Very nice! Thanks for showing. Value? In as nice shape as these are they are worth $100.00 or so. Some might pay more in a bidding frenzy on ebay. Greg

Badge is for the 4th Airforce Wing. Post war communist issue. Greg

"And even more sadly, it is extremely difficult to determine the names of your recipients since no master list of awards was kept by the 2nd Polish Corps. I have seen some partial lists, but am not sure how accurate those may be." This info is incorrect. There is a list and a copy of it is held at the Sikorski Institute. If you contact them they can give you the name of the recipient as well as the unit he was in. http://www.pism.co.uk/index.html They can be contacted by mail and should be able to help you out. Nice crosses by the way. Always happy to see these. Cheers, Greg PS. The Institute's website has changed recently. They seem to be adding much information on a regular basis. Perhaps they will publish the master list of cross #'s for everyone.

Hi all, Firstly...smashing grouping. Glad to know that they are well looked after. Secondly. As mentioned the one is a Jerusalem Cross. I can't see the one with the striped ribbon clearly but I can tell you that it is nothing awarded by the Poles for WWII. The other two at the bottom appear to have some religious connotation and aren't anything military issue. The badge is called "The Combatants' Cross". It is not an official award either. It seems to have been given out sometime in the '60's to Polish Combatants. I believe it was given out in the UK only as I have yet to see a grouping from a veteran in Canada that has the same cross. I don't have a definitive answer on this sucker as to who issued and exactly when.....yet. . Again...A smashing lot and I'd love to see lovely clear photos of everything. Thanks for sharing. Cheers, Greg

Posting photos on behalf of cwaver. I'll let him to the narration.

Hello, I believe I know which album you are speaking of. If you have photos you can email them to me and I would post them here on your behalf if that is something you wanted to share with all of us. As to what to do with the entire lot it is entirely up to you but I can say that if you wish to share it with a wider audience then a museum is NOT the way to go. I know that some will come down on me for suggesting this but the absolute truth is that in any museum (even one dedicated to the Poles in WWII like the Sikorski Institute) the medals would be put into storage and never see the light of day again. How do I know this? Because I volunteer in a local regimental museum in Winnipeg. We literally have thousands of pieces in our collection but 99% will never see the light of day. Unless your father's collection had something spectacular and unique about it the entire group would sit in a drawer somewhere and eventually be forgotten. Add to that that all museums can and will part with items from their collections if it means that they can acquire something that is needed for display. I have seen it happen first hand. If you are really interested in donating it to somewhere that it will be appreciated it might do some good to research schools in the towns he liberated in Italy. Any serious history teacher would love to have items like this that would give a human side to the conflict in their hometown. Others here may try to tell you otherwise but selling these items to a collector is NOT a bad thing. Most collectors that I know truly honor the items earned by veterans. Most collectors record every piece of history that goes with medals, etc. and preserve and display these pieces. I know that every piece in my personal collection is meticulously recorded with photographs, names, etc. Who the items belonged to and any history that goes with it. That way when I go to the other side my children (or other collectors) will know the history of every piece I own. I don't mean to sound like I'm soliciting the purchase of these either so I apologize if it seems that way. I'd love to help you post photos of these items if you are having difficulty. You can email me @: sgt.rock@shaw.ca and I will gladly post them on your behalf. Regards, Greg

Hi, Thanks for posting. Glad to see another poster with an interest in Polish history. As far as your question RE: the album. Your description is a little vague. Is it a professionally bound album or is it a personal photo album. Value will be affected depending on which type. If you have pictures you can post them here and I'll do my best to give you an estimate of value. If you're looking to sell it I can also suggest the best avenue to do so and get the maximum return. Thanks, Greg

Sorry for a slow reply but things have been a tad busy of late. Judging by the info you have given I can add a few things. Leigh is correct about the wound badge. It consisted of a blue/black ribbon (which was basically a miniature of the Virtuti Militari) with a star added for every wound suffered. It would have looked much like the cloth one that Leigh posted although with only one star. It was worn above the medal ribbons on the left breast. The document #'s you have only apply to the Monte Cassino Cross and the 2nd Corps badge. Both of those would have had the #'s on the documents pressed onto the reverse of the badges. I will now add a couple of photos of some of the other badges you need. 1. Znak Lacznosci. Unfortunately this is only a drawing from a reference book. They aren't all that uncommon but they are one of the harder badges to locate. 2. Odznaka Szturmowa. As mentioned they come in three grades. Bronze is the most common with Silver and Gold grades being a little more difficult. 3. 1st Rifle Brigade badge - 3rd Battallion. The one I have pictured is actually for the 1st Battalion. The badge is identical for the 2nd and 3rd Battalions the only difference being the numeral. An Edelweiss sans numeral is for HQ. This one will be tougher to replace. I have seen them for sale but the asking prices were too rich for my blood. It should be said that this technically isn't a "badge" but is actually collar insignia. As I mentioned previously I have access to most of what you need. As far as medals and such I can replace pretty much every one. I will have to look at what I have for spare badges. If you're interested then please send me a PM and I'll forward you the details. What I don't have on hand I should be able to locate for you. I am most happy to point you in the right direction. Cheers, Greg

Both are real. Depending on price they are well worth adding to a collection. Regards, Greg

Hi Leigh, 3DSK badges were never #'d. All members that qualified received one. I have never seen or heard of any being available for private purchase but I do have a cased example that appears as if it would have been purchased as opposed to being awarded. The Independent Carpathian Rifles Brigade (forerunner of the 3DSK) badges were individually #'d to each individual. If I remember correctly you have two identically #'d to the same man! Crosses of Valour are #'d pre-war. Wartime produced and awarded pieces do not have #'s. Likewise anything awarded post war was sans #. As for the confusion regarding Crosses of Valour there are a few rules of thumb to ID them. Anything with a date of 1920 on it is generally considered to be wartime or earlier. Of course current issue are identical to wartime/pre-war in design but the quality is quite different. Anything dated 1939, 1940, or 1944 with the eagle missing it's crown is Communist issue. There is a great reference work (in Polish) dedicated to the Cross of Valour. I don't have it underhand as I am at work but I will get the info and pass it along. I will also get to the pictures I promised in an earlier reply as soon as I can. Greg

Hi again, Now that we have more info I can help a little bit. - the 3DSK badge would the be one I featured in #3 of my previous post. Common badge and easily replaceable. - Cross of Valour is the same as in #2 except that it would have had a bar on the ribbon denoting a second award. The crosses are common but finding one with a bar is a little more difficult. - Monte Cassino Cross - 3rd from left in #1. These were serial #'d to each individual awardee. If you do not have the award document (which would show his original award #) then you should be able to get it from his records at the Sikorski Institute. Relatively easy to replace but it will have a different # than your grandfathers. - British War and Defence Medals are the last two on the rack in #1. War medal with the red ribbon and Defence with the green. Both extremely common medals. - Krzyz Zaslugi is referred to as the "Cross of Merit". First medal on the rack in #1. These came in three grades (Gold, Silver, and Bronze). Bronze being the most common. Again his records should state which one he rec'd. - Odznaka Szturmowa - Again awarded in gold, silver and bronze. Technically only awarded on paper as they were never authorized for wear. I can provide photos of the bronze and silver from my collection (gold versions are tough to find) - 2nd Corps badge is the same as in #5. These were individually serial #'d to the awardee. His record should show his particular #. Common but it will not be the same # as your grandfathers. - Italy Star is the 5th from left in #1. Very common and easy to replace. - Znak Lacznosci. Signaller badge. I don't have one to show. I will get a scan of one to show you what they look like. Not too hard to find but prices have climbed in recent years. His collar insignia would have been in the shape of a kite. It would have been blue with yellow trim at the top. I will provide a photo. Hope that was of some help. I will attempt to get some photos of the missing badges as soon as I can. If you need help finding replacements for any of his medals, badges, etc then let me know as I can certainly help there as well. If I don't have them I know people who do! Cheers, Greg

Hi, Leigh provides some good info for record searches. My first try would be the Sikorski Institute as they hold all records relating to the Polish army in exile. If they don't have it then it's likely the others won't either. A little closer to home you might want to try your local branch of the Polish Combatants Association. If you let me know what part of Canada you're in I can direct you to your local branch. There is usually an archivist available at most branches and they may be able to help if your relative was a member. As far as medals and badges I will post what was typically awarded. Bear in mind that your grandfather may have won other awards. I will do my best to explain them as we go along. 1. A "typical" rack of medals worn by most members of the Polish 2nd Corps. From left to right: Cross of Merit (Bronze)with swords, Polish Army medal, Monte Cassino Cross, 39-45 Star, Italy Star, British Defence Medal, British War Medal. As mentioned most Poles were not technically entitled to both the Polish and British War Medals but most of them got both. 2. He may also have won a Cross of Valour. It is not uncommon to find this medal in groups as well. Front: Back: 3. Breast badge of the 3 DSK. He would have undoubtedly have had one of these as well. 4. Typical cloth insignia that he would have worn on his tunic. He would most likely have had collar badges of some form but I couldn't tell you which ones without knowing his exact unit. 5. Polish 2nd Corps badge. Worn above the left pocket midway between the breast and collar. These are #'d to each individual. These are common but your grandfather would have had one numbered specifically to him. Front: Back: 6. This next badge and medal may not apply as not everyone in the 2nd Corps was entitled. Prior to the formation of the 2nd Corps there were some fellows that managed to escape to French Syria and formed a rifle brigade there. Once the 2nd Corps was formed this brigade was absorbed and most were transferred into the 3 DSK although others were assigned elsewhere. Only your granddad's records would say for sure. Badge: Africa Star: Monte Cassino Crosses were individually #'d so if the original has disappeared it may never be retrieved. There are many available on the open market though. Likewise almost all of the other material is readily available. Hope that was helpful. Please feel free to drop me a line if you have any other questions and I'll do my best to assist. Cheers, Greg

Knedler only made pre-war pilot's badges. 435 was likely a serial # awarded to a specific pilot and may be traceable if the records still exist. Perhaps the Polish Army Museum in Warsaw may be able to point you in the right direction. Greg

See my reply in the Brit forum. Cheers, Greg

Hi, My granddad was also in the 3 DSK and was at Tobruk and Cassino. Please drop me a line and I will see what I can do to help. Leigh is correct in his assumption regarding the medals. He may have also qualifies for the Africa Star if he was with the Independant Carpathian Rifles Brigade. Add to that he would have been entitled to one or more breast badges as well. Cheers, Greg

HI all, There exists a master list of all Monte Cassino cross #'s at the Sikorski Institute in London. I know of some people that have a copy of that list but have tried in vain to get a copy of that list for myself. I will continue to try until they comply . You can also try your local SPK as sometimes they can help (I know our local has some documentation) Cheers, Greg

Hi Eric, Nice medal and badge. Technically not a set per se as the # on the back of the cross is attributed to a block that was given to the signals and not the 5 KDP. That being said there have been cases where an individual would have earned his Monte Cassino cross with another division and then transferred to earn the other divisional badge. Not unheard of. The 5 KDP badge is not uncommon to find but it is a little scarcer to find it in .800 silver. A common misconception of the .800 badges is that they were awarded to officers. That is incorrect as I have personally owned groupings where the gentleman had a rank no higher than that of a Sgt. and he still got the .800 silver badge. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to why some got the silver version and others rec'd the alpacca or tombak versions. Thanks for showing. Cheers, Greg

Hiya, If you need records and research information then the place to contact would be the Sikorski Institute. Unfortunately they do not do email so you will either have to ring them or send them an old fashioned letter. They have a website with all of their contact info. http://www.sikorskimuseum.co.uk/ I also have access to some national records here in Canada through the Polish Combatants Assoc. and may be of some slight help. Drop me a PM if you need further assistance. Hope that helps. Greg