Can someone help me ID the soldiers in this photo. Are they Latvian, Polish, or a mixture of both? Can anyone ID the awards/medals? The headgear looks similar to some images attributed to the Latvian army. I look forward to your replies!
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Last edited by para03; 06-05-2008, 08:59 PM. -
Here is a more detailed image of the soldier standing on far left....Last edited by para03; 06-05-2008, 08:59 PM. -
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Soldier second from right. Note the medals and sleeve insignia...Last edited by para03; 06-05-2008, 08:59 PM.Comment
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Here is the last detailed shot of the soldier standing on the far right...What awards were these?Last edited by para03; 06-05-2008, 08:59 PM.Comment
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The soldiers are Polish but the text is German ("conquering of the Westerplatte").Comment
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?
My gut tells me Polish - however the Polish borders have been so fluid during the 20th Century with Latvian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Prussian and Russian cultures all having some sort of influence on the military.Comment
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Maikafer & Crowback,
Thank you for your replies. I guessed it was either Latvian or Polish. I focused so much on the Latvian possiblity that I did not research Polish uniforms from that era. I must agree that they do appear to be Polish soldiers after all. My next question would be from what era? WWI ? WWII? or something in between? Does any one have a link to help me research the awards?
-CharlesComment
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Polish for sure. I guess this photo was taken just before the outbreak of WW2. Sorry I cannot help you on the awards.
Perhaps it would be a good idea to start another thread in the International forum and link it to this one, so that the Polish collectors on the forum will pick up on this thread as we have several people who are very much into Polish stuff? I am sure you will get the answers you seek.
Cheers, Ade.Comment
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Adrian,
Thank you for your reply. I took your advice and posted a thread under the "International Militaria Forum". Hopefully, someone will be able to date this photo or at least be able to ID the medals....
-ChuckComment
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Charles, this photo couldn't be of WW1 period, because until 1919 Poland was a part of Russia and by this reason polish soldiers wore Russian uniform. I believe the photo made in 30th.Originally posted by para03Comment
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unknown soldiers on pic
Hi
As mentioned on the back of pic, it is a war booty from Westerplatte which actually are a peninsula outside Gdansk in Poland-
Acc.to theri uniforms, they are all polish
HallandsenComment
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they are Polish
My guess....Is that this is actually closer to 29 than 39...the uniforms are an older style than those just before the outbreak of the war...
The zig zag styling, the high collars...are all older verson...less stylized than in 39
1. the first soldier I believe to be a seargent..the badge he is wearing on his left breast is a common National Sports Badge
2. the second might be a corpral..no badges..
3. third.....the swastika is, I believe, a military organization, Federation of Polish Associations for the Defense of the Fatherland, The regimental badge , though it looks very much like artillery..I believe its closer to being 2nd or 4th armoured train....though..Westerplatte being on the water...dosent seem to make sense to have an armoured train there...more research is required..
re the arm patch..am working on it...recognize it...but escapes me right now
4th..having a harder time with this guy...believe closest badge is also paramiltary association....same regimental badge...as previous guy
any possibility of getting a larger image of the reg badge??...that will really reveal the most about these guys..
not much help...but as I said a close up of the reg badge would really be helpful...
or someone else that knows more than I ....
all the best
gComment
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Thanks for your replies! I posted this photo in the "International Militaria" forum and here's the link to a very detailed response I received from one of our members, Antoni Zawadzki. Thanks again Antoni!
The link: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=139650Comment
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