Help with (Polish?) Badge Identification Please!

That completely solves the mystery, yes he was commissioned at the end of the war hence his possession of this badge.

Thank – you all for your help. This site is such a fantastic resource!

Fantastic stuff!

Not only an identification of the badge but an explanation as to why an Airman might hold such a badge, especially seeing as it was nothing to do with the PAF, unless of course you knew otherwise.

Thanks for that Voytech, just another of the many little mysteries solved by forum members which makes places such as this such a fantastic resource and repository of information.

It just amazes me that sometimes when you need help and no expert is available, just like buses, another couple turn up shortly after.

Regards,

kev35

I am not big on badges and brevets, but a friend who is has provided this document. The badge is a memorial badge of the Polish Armed Forces’ Szkola Podchorazych Piechoty i Kawalerii Zmotoryzowanej or Infantry and Motorised Cavalry Cadet Officers’ School. As there was no Polish Air Force College in UK during WW2, PAF NCOs with cadet officer status underwent courses in that establishment before they could be commissioned, which is probably why the 300 Sqn man had it (was he and officer?). “SZKOCJA” is indeed “SCOTLAND”, because that’s where the shool was based (Dunfermline, I think).

P for Poland and a Celtic S for Scotland. I don’t think it has anything to do with the PAF, probably something like a wartime or postwar Polish-Scottish friendship society. The Polish 1st Corps/1st Armour Division was based in Scotland. The strongest PAF link is 309 Squadron. Other squadrons also spent some time there but not 300. Problem pilots were posted there for punishment. Horbaczewski was sent there to cool his heels for a while. Some, like Michal Cwynar met and married a Scots lass while they were there and settled in Scotland after the war. The gentleman may not have spent all his time with 300 Squadron so might have been in Scotland during the war at sometime.

Ian.

We’re possibly straying way off the original topic here but I think there is a possibility I may be onto something here. Google has very kindly just told me of impressive links between Scotland and Poland, some of which were commercial and dating back to the 15th Century. There is even a very attractive Polish Tartan. Here’s a couple of interesting links:

http://www.polishculture.co.uk/index.php?Itemid=34&id=240&option=com_content&task=view

http://www.sikorskipolishclub.org.uk/newsletter/ScotsDiaspora_English.pdf

Could the Modern looking ‘P’ intertwined with the older looking ‘S’ in the badge be significant?

Voytech, if you are around I would be very interested to hear your opinions.

Regards,

kev35

That’s am interesting idea. The whole collection which included this item was from a 300 Sqn Flight Engineer – I don’t think he had any Scottish connections

There is a St. Andrew’s Cross (a Saltire?) at the bottom of the badge as well. Does that strengthen the Scottish link? Anything to do with the Polish Resettlement Corps?

Regards,

kev35

The text reads :

SZKO (then a crown) CJA

I did try to find a translation for SZKOCJA which seems to means Scotland? Didn’t seem to be right!

There’s no other script on it.

The image doesn’t realy do it justice – its quite a pretty object.

There would seem to be some text at the top of the wreath. No? If there is, any chance of a better close-up scan of that?

I been looking in my polish books, but I cant find it……

I hope its OK if I give this a single bump – I’ve had no luck in finding out the background to this badge, so thought I’d try my luck again!