history1 wrote:"SP" is reffered as Szkoła Podchorążych = Cadett School. The initial "A" stands for "Artillery", but that is my guess no picture with this explanation was found in my source.
Exactly, it's a badge of
Szkoła Podchorążych Artylerii in Scotland, silver-plated white metal produced by Rattray and Co., Dundee, established in 1941.
Source: Zdzisław Sawicki, Adam Wielechowski
Odznaki Wojska Polskiego 1918-1945: Wojsko Polskie 1918-1939, Polskie Siły Zbrojne na Zachodzie, Pantera Books, Warszawa 2007
The swastika-style badge is of course a badge of
1 Pułk Artylerii Motorowej 1 Dywizji Pancernej (1st Motorized Artillery Regiment of 1st Armoured Division). The badge is identical to that of pre-WW2
1 Pułk Artylerii Motorowej that was created from 4th battery of
1 Pułk Artylerii Górskiej (1st Mountain Artillety Regiment). This battery was awarded the Virtuti Militarii cross and the honorary title
baterja śmierci ('Death's Battery') after the battle of Dytjatyń - so called 'Polish Thermopylae' - September 16th 1920, where it bitterly fought Bolsheviks alongside with 7th battery of 8th Field Artillery Regiment and III battalion of 13th Infantry Regiment. The battery fought to the very last and was annihilated, losing almost all of its men (56 KIA, including its commander, kapitan Adam Zając). According to some sources, soldiers of this battery were also allowed to wear skull and crossed bones insignias on their caps.
Source: Piotr Zarzycki
1 Pułk Artylerii Motorowej, Oficyna Wydawnicza "Ajaks", Pruszków 1992
Some more on topic (unfortunately in Polish only) -
http://www.dytiatyn.pl/, skull -
http://www.dytiatyn.pl/tradycje.html#trupia
As a sidenote all mountain-related regiments of pre-WW2 Polish Army utilised swastika-motif eg. in their regimental badges.
John G. wrote:The ribbons are (starting at the top...the left to right) are: US Bronze Star; Unidentified (Dutch I think); Brit. Africa Star;
Brit. War Medal 1939-45; Brit. Defense Medal; Brit. France & Germany star; Brit. 1939-45 Star; Pol. Medal Wojske; & Pol. Krauz Walecznch medal.
Strangely, the ribbon bar is
upside down!!
Regards