Uncategorised WWII Czechoslovakian, Bulgarian, Polish and Romanian units alongside the Red Army - hat badges

[GC*]

Dear fellow collectors,

I am starting this topic to discuss with you my latest collecting interest, namely the hat badges worn by Czechoslovak, Bulgarian, Romanian and Polish units which fought alongside the Red Army in the Second World War.

Just to make clear immediately what I mean, in referring to the countries reported in the topic's title I refer to the following military formations:

Bulgaria - Fatherland Front and Bulgarian army units which fought together with the Soviets after the coup of September 1944

Romania - Romanian army units which fought together with the Soviets after the coup of August 1944

Czechoslovakia - the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps, formed in 1942

Poland - the Armia Ludowa (People's Army) and the Ludowe Wojsko Polskie (People's Army of Poland)

Let's start with the pieces I already have in my collection. Here come a People's Army of Poland eagle (produced in the Soviet Union without the crown and with a different design from original Polish army eagles) and a Bulgarian WWII-immediate postwar period star (I have discussed with other collectors about this star and nobody seems to be sure whether it was actually used by fighting troops in WWII or not - reminds me of the Yugoslav case, with its huge variety of different cap badges and cockades).

[GC*]

Let's now pass to the problematic issues, from the simplest to the most complicated one.

1) Poland. Am I right in saying that the Armia Ludowa, before being incorporated in the Lodowe Wojsko Polskie used another eagle, as well without crown, but with a more traditional design? Is it this that eagle, ?

2) Bulgaria. I have seen many pictures of Bulgarian caps with attached a piece of cloth bearing the two letters "ОФ", the initials of "Fatherland Front", http://www.militaryheadgear.com/system/photos/000/021/558/large/Bulgarian_Fatherland_Front_Garrison_Cap.jpg?1287517505. But, for example, look at this picture , some soldiers are wearing some kind of stars on their caps. And in this picture it is clearly possible to detec a variety of different cap badges.

Another question. I have come across several examples of the Bulgarian wartime lion with crown..I however also found lions of the same type without the crown..were they used by the Bulgarian army after the coup? Which means, was it, at least at first, like in Poland, were the eagle stayed and the crown disappeared?

3)Czechoslovakia. I had no previous knowledge about wartime Czechoslovakian hat badges, although I do have several post-war Czechoslovak stars and hat badges in my collection. Now look at these pictures, this is General Svoboda http://i.pravda.sk/09/073/skcl/P292cb036_svoboda.jpg and these two female soldiers ..it looks to me that, respectively, they are wearing such hat badges , http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Czechoslovakia-Army-Cap-Badge-/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/$%28KGrHqQOKnME52NRU9wTBOquYq3Pww~~60_35.JPG .

This assumption comes from few researches, but I never actually made it to find a picture from which I could clearly see the cockade worn on caps by Czechoslovak officers and soldiers..

4) Romania. No idea whatsoever about which type of hat badges were in use in the Romanian Army when it switched sides and fought alongside the Soviets..

Well, many questions and many doubts, I admit that.. Nevertheless I hope that some of you will find this issues interesting and will decide to provide me with some information-comments-opinions!

Thank you.

Best,

GC

[GC*]

Here I found some photographic evidence of what I was talking about while referring to the case of Bulgaria.

Here we find two WWII Royal Bulgarian caps [http://www.shopbulgaria.com/files/products/cache/w_1289948400_5000_4000_1289990207.jpg ; ], while here we have the Lion without crown I mentioned before [http://www.shopbulgaria.com/files/products/cache/w_1340114731_5000_4000_1340114731.jpg].

All of that reminds me really a lot about the case of the Polish communist forces; the eagle was left, while the crown was dropped.

So, was this type of Bulgarian lion worn by soldiers after the Fatherland Front coup??..

[Theodor]

The old pictures - these aren't soldiers, they are partisans, using army clothing. The stars are some self-made partisan insignia. The lion without crown, from the last link, is the current one! Introduced to the army in the 90's and used in this moment, too. I have never seen WW2 lion with removed crown.

[GC*]

Thank you very much for your illuminating answer!

But then..did the bulgarian army soldiers wore the crowned lion while they were fighting alongside the Soviets or did they adopt some kind of temporary cap badge?

I cannot really find any photo of Bulgaian soldiers after the coup..

Thank you again!

[GC*]

Oh and sorry, a clarification, did you mean that the star which picture I attached is a self-made partisan insigna? Or did you refer to the stars that some partisans are wearing on their caps in the old pictures?

Thanks again for your help!

[Kev in Deva]

With regards Romania in the latter part of WW2, the Soviets formed members of the Romanian Imperial military who were captured on the Eastern Front into the Tudor Vladimirescu division.

http://en.wikipedia....or_Vladimirescu

"A division bearing his name (Divizia Tudor Vladimirescu) was formed by the Red Army with Romanian prisoners of war who had fought on the Eastern Front. They were called on to fight the Ion Antonescu pro-Nazi Germany regime, and were absorbed into the Romanian Army after 1944. The Division had its precedent in an artillery battery of the same name, grouping Romanian volunteers in the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War. An Order of Tudor Vladmirescu was also created."

This unit had a distinctive insignia, but as far as I am aware it was worn on the breast, headgear was a mix of Romanian Imperial caps, side-caps, Romanian helmets some retaining the King Carol cipher and standard soviet issue items of headwear.

I also believe distinction was made by the use of an armband in the Romanian National Colours for Romanian troops who were fighting on the Soviet side.

EDIT: from a net search I found these comments posted in 2004,

(sadly it appears the pictures were deleted a long time ago)

Bullion Wire embroidered patch worn on a soviet style forage cap and on the left sleeve of the uniform with the letters "TV" Tudor Vladimirescu Division. Circa 1944-1947.

and

Bullion Wire embroidered patch same as above but weith the letters "HCC" Horia Closca si Crisan Division. Circa 1944-1947.

and

Bevo woven patch similar to German style manufacture. Circa - year of wear unknown. Possible wear on the hat and sleeve.

Will try to get more info

Kevin in Deva. :beer:

Edited October 24, 2012 by Kev in Deva

[GC*]

Kev in Deva, your contribution is just massive!

Thank you so much for sharing these information. I will be trying to do some net search as well, but I am really glad you gave me some knowledge about something I was really completely ignorant!

[giller]

1) Poland. Am I right in saying that the Armia Ludowa, before being incorporated in the Lodowe Wojsko Polskie used another eagle, as well without crown, but with a more traditional design? Is it this that eagle, http://www.dws-xip.p...acje/zd33_1.jpg ?

I wanted to comment on the People's Army eagle.

A model of this eagle is from the People's Guard (GL), the combat organization established by Polish Workers' Party (PPR) in March 1942. In December 1943 PPR established the National Council (KRN) - Communist form of parliament, and January 1, 1944 GL was reorganized in the People's Army (AL). Guard's eagle remained the same for the AL.

w/r

Giller

Edited October 30, 2012 by giller

[GC*]

Thank you very much Giller for your comment.

So, this eagle [ ] was used both by the Gwardia Ludowa and by the Armia Ludowa, while the eagle which photo I attached in my first post is the Soviet made one that was used since Jult 1944 by the Ludowe Wojsko Polskie. [if I am wrongplease do correct me!]

Thank you.

Best,

GC

[giller]

So, this eagle [ http://upload.wikime...g/200px-Orl.jpg ] was used both by the Gwardia Ludowa and by the Armia Ludowa

Yes, it was.

while the eagle which photo I attached in my first post is the Soviet made one that was used since Jult 1944 by the Ludowe Wojsko Polskie.

Second eagle was created in 1943 for the Polish Armed Forces (PSZ) in the Soviet Union (initially 1st Infantry Division) in Sielce Camp. By Polish soldiers contemptuously was called "kurica" (eng. hen), and to this day is so commonly known.

There are two main versions (depicted below)

- Moscow (left)

- Lublin (right)

As You have written above, on base of AL and PSZ in July 44 (part of Poland was liberated) was created one Polish Army (Ludowe Wojsko Polskie - LWP), which used this eagle. But it have to be remembered that by the end of the war was still almost a year, and many of the AL troops were still fighting in areas occupied by the Germans, and gradually conscripted into the Polish Army.

w/r

giller

[Stormbringer]

As far as I know and considering Bulgaria, Theodor is right that the stars are partisan badges and were not used in the army. The army used the Lion rampant, but in many cases without the crown as was the case with the Polish eagle. In some cases however the crown was preserved and it depended on the commanding officers of the military units and how they feel towards the Fatherland Front. After the proclamation of the Republic all the crowns were removed. Same happened to Bulgarian orders and medals.