Which country?

Octavianus · Post by **Octavianus** » 10 Jul 2002 14:48

Servus Antti,

The photo was most likely taken in the process of carrying their weapons down. Don't know if you ever seen or heard the stories of the veterans, but it was often that after the soldiers were captured, they were formed in a column, marching until at the end of the column they all hand over their weapons or throw it on a ground. I have seen such photos of Belgian, Yugoslav and Polish soldiers, and even German soldiers surrendering their weapons to the Yugoslav partisans, so such photo was not a suprise with me.

In addition, maybe the photo was erven taken at Westerplatte, where Germans honoured the brave Polish defenders...

In anyway, I still stick with my theory that they are Polish soldiers. They are certainly not Finns, Hungarians, Romanians, Croats, Italians, Belgian, French, British, Soviet, American and not even Czech or Slovakian. Bulgarians used a different type of helmet, the German M1935 helmet, later replaced with M1916. The Slovakian had a different types of unioforms and they used old Czech helment which contsruction is a bit different from the one we are seeing on this photo.
Compare the helmet on a photo with any other photos of Polish soldiers you have and you shall see. I have did this with one of mine photos, and the white buttons and type of helment fit perfectly.

Gratia,

Octavianus

Geppistoly Katona · Post by **Geppistoly Katona** » 10 Jul 2002 15:34

The scraggly Rumanian comment was my comment, I DIDNT LITERALLY MEAN THAT, I was just jokingly jesting at ya victor

But another reason Pic #1 HAS TO BE YUGOSLAVS, SLOVAKS, CROATS, OR BULGARIANS is look at the top of their guns, the shiny metal and light would is not of German origin, THEY ARE YUGOSLAVIAN Kar 98 Short Mausers!!!!!

And to my knowledge EVEN THE SCRAGGLY RUMANIANS DIDNT SINK LOW ENOUGH TO CARRY A YUGOSLAV MADE RIFLE!!!!

Geppistoly Katona · Post by **Geppistoly Katona** » 10 Jul 2002 15:36

And if you look closely at the dark tipped gun in the metal I believe it to be an Italian Mannlicher Carcano short rifle of some sort, Italian or a rearsenalled Austro-Hungarian piece?

Geppistoly Katona · Post by **Geppistoly Katona** » 10 Jul 2002 15:37

But if they were Slovaks wouldnt they have that Eastern Orthodox cross on their helmet fronts?

Marcus · Post by **Marcus** » 10 Jul 2002 17:00

Here is a closeup.

Reigo · Post by **Reigo** » 10 Jul 2002 17:02

After browsing this site - http://www.bolas.prv.pl/ - it seems to me also that the soldiers on picture 1 are probably Polish.

Geppistoly Katona · Post by **Geppistoly Katona** » 10 Jul 2002 17:06

Some of those almost look like Bulgarian Police Mannlicher m 1895 or 93 [ notice one gun with a straight pull bolt] ???? Must be some kind of rag tag army, their weapons are all mixed!!!!

Geppistoly Katona · Post by **Geppistoly Katona** » 10 Jul 2002 17:07

One even looks like it could be a Belgian 1898 Mauser Hoppy???? What army bought those after WWII that might be your answer....

Tapani K. · Post by **Tapani K.** » 10 Jul 2002 17:50

If memory serves me right, Poland manufactured a version of Mauser and the Polish army used it extensively. Also, The helmets seems to be quite like the polish wz.31 helmet. Therefore I, too, would be inclined to vote "Poland" here.

In the other picture, I think the taller Finnish soldier might be wearing the collar tabs of a sotilasvirkamies (military official or something like that in English). This would fit in quite nicely with the idea of there being a Finnish liaison officer and his interpreter photographed withe their German comrades-in-arms.

regards,
Tapani K.

Geppistoly Katona · Post by **Geppistoly Katona** » 10 Jul 2002 19:25

Yes the polish did make a few different models of that particular mauser, hower all of them had a blued or patina coated metal, these guns in the picture by the silver glint you see must have been manufactured in the Bulkans or Turkey because they have a poor finish....

Kapitan Drago · Post by **Kapitan Drago** » 11 Jul 2002 23:16

The walking soldiers looks like Chechoslovacks.

Tapani K. · Post by **Tapani K.** » 12 Jul 2002 14:46

It seems to me that the helmets of the walking soldiers are definitely of the Polish type. The Polish helmet is somewhat similar to the Czech one, but the Polish one is deeper and covers more of the face wheras the Czech helmets is more compact in appearance. Sorry for the unprofessional sounding terms while describing the helmets, but hey, that is what I am: no professional

.

regards,
Tapani K.

Stéphane · Post by **Stéphane** » 20 Jul 2002 22:51

Hi, there. First post.
Must agree with Octavianus. The soldiers in picture #1 are Polish. Was looking at a magazine on the Polish Campaign and there was a picture of unarmed Poles being marched into captivity. In the picture that I have, they all have the same shinny buttons, as well as tunics with 2 breast pockets and tunics without them. Just like pic #1. In picture #1 you can see a soldier wearing the traditional Polish cap (don't know what its called). As well in pic #1 why would there be armed Germans escorting there allies? Can only mean one thing, that they're prisoners being marched off to drop off there weapons and into POW camps, thats why they look dejected and demoralized.

Benoit Douville · Post by **Benoit Douville** » 20 Jul 2002 23:32

Hi and Welcome to the forum. Another Canadian here

Andy H · Post by **Andy H** » 21 Jul 2002 09:32

How about them being from a Latvian Defence Btn?. The reason's being that they were issued with M1933 Czech Army helmet and Mosin-Nagant's and I suppose that there general look is one that you could associate with that type of unit.

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