Identification of photograph

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by archivist, Dec 5, 2018.

  1. archivist

    archivist Well-Known Member

    Can anyone please help with identification of this badge and 4 KCKM. I know nothing about it except it was taken mid to late war and it could have a Polish connection although I believe the uniforms are British. 4KCKM.jpg
     
  2. Shane Greer

    Shane Greer We're Doomed

    Im stumped? Interesting to find out though.
     
  3. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    The epaulettes look quite Polish-style, certainly not British. They're not airforce, are they ? The eagle badge certainly looks like the sort of thing adopted by the Polish Airforce in Exile.
     
  4. dp_burke

    dp_burke Junior Member

    Google search for "4 KCKM" gives one Polish result for same designation from Sep 1939
    Boje Polskie 1939-1945. Przewodnik Encyklopedyczny"4+kckm"&source=bl&ots=Hq-dI2_bnq&sig=3806_34Cp_qEyajp7ariY47tSyI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjMiInSt4nfAhWrUxUIHcC5ApUQ6AEwAnoECAIQAQ#v=onepage&q="4%20kckm"&f=false
     
  5. dp_burke

    dp_burke Junior Member

    CKM = ciężki karabin maszynowy
    = Heavy Machine Gun

    Ckm wz. 30 - Wikipedia

    I dare say the photo is a 4 Heavy MG Company
     
    Chris C likes this.
  6. archivist

    archivist Well-Known Member

    Sorry, yes they are air force - that's why I put the query here - but I should have said that. I know absolutely nothing about the photo except that it was found among the effects of a Polish Airman.
     
  7. archivist

    archivist Well-Known Member

    If you are right, it must have been taken in Persia and it must have been of his friends or family because he was a pilot
     
  8. archivist

    archivist Well-Known Member

    Rich Payne was thinking along the same lines as me. It does look Air Force but I couldn't find a Polish Air Force badge exactly like it. It looks like the Polish white eagle superimposed on the V for Victory or possibly the V representing the 5th Corps. All of that suggests the Middle East or North Africa/Italy but the uniforms are not tropical
     
  9. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    That's typical ! I dived straight in from 'New Posts' without noting the sub-forum !

    I wonder if they're wearing denims ? In any case, wool BD was widely worn in MEF and certainly in Italy for much of the year.
     
  10. archivist

    archivist Well-Known Member

    Thanks, I didn't know that but it makes sense because, just in a side remark, the lady who sent this photo has just told me that her father served in Iraq before leaving for England to join the Polish Air Force so your opinions appear to be on the button!
     
  11. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    This is something I never knew

    - Evacuation of Polish civilians from the USSR in World War II - Wikipedia
    In 1942, about 120,000 refugees from Poland began their exodus to Iran from remote parts of the Soviet Union.[16] Despite political instability and famine in Iran at that time, Polish refugees were welcomed by the smiles and generosity of the Iranian people[17]. In late 1942 and early 1943, Polish camps in Iran were located at Tehran, Isfahan, Mashhad and Ahvaz. First schools were opened in Tehran, where after one year there were ten Polish educational institutions. At Isfahan Polish orphanage and children camp was opened, where 2,300 children and 300 adults stayed and eight elementary schools were created.

    Iran - Poland 540 Years of Diplomatic Relations

    They may be a part of Anders Army - Anders' Army - Wikipedia

    TD

    https://www.amazon.com/Warsaw-Rome-General-Anders-Exiled/dp/1473894883

    The Polish Army was evacuated to Iran in 1942 and subsequently incorporated into the British Army as the Polish II Corps.
     
  12. archivist

    archivist Well-Known Member

    TD,
    You are totally correct and between the British and Iranians, the Poles were very well cared for by way of feeding, clothing and medical treatment. Some of the Poles were specially selected to serve in the Air Force and were sent to England - the rest went to North African and Italian theatres of war and it was the Poles who eventually took Monte Cassino. The men in the photo above were ex soldiers who eventually joined the Air Force and the one I am trying to track was actually arrested in Poland by the Russians and released after Operation Barbarossa
     

Share This Page