Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. During the Pre-WWII Period in 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union signed the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, often referred to as the "German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact". The two countries agreed to non-aggression for 10 years, and as a bonus, decided (without the consent of Poland), to partition Poland between the two countries. After it was signed, both countries invaded Poland, displacing many Poles, and leading Great Britain and France to Declare War on Germany on September 3, 1939.
There were military forces who were able to survive and escape Poland into exile, and they formed the Free Polish Forces, which were primarily located in the West. This changed after 22 June 1941, when Germany broke the Non-aggression pact and launched Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the USSR. Eastern Poland was quickly overrun, resulting in more displaced Poles, from which the Soviet Union raised their own Free Polish forces in the east.
This lovely General Service Cap or Beret is from the forces in the West, and is quite similar to the standard British Beret of the period. It may even be of British Manufacture, but it unfortunately unmarked. It has an embroidered bullion Polish Eagle badge on the front, showing the wide spread tail used for many years. Below this are three stars, which in the Polish rank system is for a Kapitan (Captain) rank. To the left of this, there is a small Polish Eagle pin, with two swords on the eagle's tail, and the word TOBRUK under the eagle's feet. This would indicate that the officer saw service in the North African campaigns of WWII.
A great and hard to find Free Polish General service cap, ready to research and display!
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