WARGAMING WITH THE POLISH ARMY

A Quick Guide to Uniforms

By Mark Hannamm

Polish Soldiers 1920 - Polygot Nature of Polish Uniforms

The Russian Provisional Government had created the I Polish Army Corps in April 1917. They wore standard Russian uniforms with no distinguishing features until after the revolution when they adopted the Polish eagle cap badge, collar patches and rank badges. This corps surrendered to the Germans upon their occupation of Bielorussia in March 1918 and were interned in their native Poland then under Austro-German control. Upon release in 1918, these soldiers added 30,000 Russian uniforms to the Polish inventory.

Haller`s Legion was known in Poland as the “Blue Army”, as it returned fully uniformed in French 'Horizon Blue' uniforms. With the Legions of Haller and Zeligowski came more French and Russian uniforms and equipment. Whilst Rumsza`s Siberian Brigade was equipped from American and Japanese sources. Photographs of Polish troops show a bewildering array of dress, the only common piece of uniform amongst them all, the Polish eagle cap badge.

INFANTRY

Helmets were scarce, though assault companies and units of the “Strike Force” seem to have been well supplied. The most common helmet was the Austrian version of the German M1916. These were painted field grey or in some instances to avoid confusion with similar helmets worn by the Reds, they were painted with broad red and white bands. There were also plenty of French Adrian helmets. The majority of soldiers wore either the previously mentioned maciejowka peaked cap or the soft czapska.

With the exception of Haller`s “Blue Army” which was entirely clothed by the French, the majority of Polish troops would have worn either Austrian or German field gray uniforms. Leather equipment was brown, with either brown jackboots or knee-length puttees worn with brown ankle boots.

CAVALRY

Basic uniform would have been a khaki or field grey tunic, with stand and fall collar sporting swallow tailed pennants matching those carried on the lances by the regiment. Dark blue breeches were worn which had two broad stripes in the regimental colour. The cap was similar to the British style service cap with a broad cap band in the regimental colour and a black peak. Boots were black and leather equipment brown. Some examples of unit distinctions are below:

See Uniforms of the World by Knotel, Knotel & Sieg for more. However, as already mentioned, uniforms came from a variety of sources. Refer back to the notes on the 1st Cavalry Division.

“Every man carried lance, sabre, bayonet, mask, entrenching tool and canteen. On the march they clanked like a company of medieval knights”.

MILITIA UNITS

Most workers and militia units wore civilian clothes with whatever scraps of military attire and equipment they could get their hands on. A white over red distinguishing armband, often with a black Polish eagle was worn on the left arm.

Go to Red and White, our Russian Civil War rules.