Veteran Badges

[Kim]

I looked in Sharps's Soviet OOB and found something that could be an explanation. It's just a geuess but here goes. Sharp lists the red army polish units and few seem to have the Order of Red Banner. One that have it is 1st Infantry Division in the name of Tadeush Kostyushko.

Nice badge by the way!

/Kim

[Al-muell]

Most likely a badge given to the soviet officers who served in the first infantry division as Kim says.
One correction: 1DPTK wasn't a Red Army Unit. It was the part of the 1st Army of the Polish Army (in USSR).

[desantnik]

Interesting proposal for the "D T K" infantry division, but then why the TANK?

I could see the D T K being for the Polish infantry division if it was written or abbreviated in latin letter Polish, but the VETERAN is cyrillic and in Russian TK is always TANK CORPS.

[Al-muell]

It was infantry division, but there were tank units attached it. In polish units in USSR (after units lead by gen. Anders left the Soviet Union) many of the officers were soviet and in tank troops - almost ALL the commanders were soviet. It may be a badge to such tank commander for example.

However, I have never seen this badge before (maybe because it's soviet made), so I cannot be 100% sure that I am right.

[desantnik]

Another thing I just remembered, if this was intended to be for the infantry division named after Thad Koziuscko, it would require the "im." in Russian. I also think in either Russian or Polish, there would have to be a "P" for "pekhota" or infantry.

I'm still leaning toward the 1 Tank Corps with some "D" honorific title like "Dnepr" or something.

What is the Polish cross award pictured - could that help in determining?

[Al-muell]

The cross seems to be Grunwald Cross. I am not sure wether the unit was awarded it or not, but it is very likely.

"imyenya" or "im." is never used in shortcuts.
In polish the unit is usually reffered to as 1DTK (Pierwsza Dywizja imienia Tadeusza Kościuszki) or 1DPTK (Pierwsza Dywizja Piechoty Imienia Tadeusza Kościuszki).
If it's not this unit, and You are right about honorary title like Dniepr, or Don or slt, It would have been some soviet unit fighting on polish territory that was awarded with both ORB and Grunwald Cross. If such unit exists and has some title starting with "d" - it will be this. If not - T. Kościuszko Division

[desantnik]

Originally Posted by Al-muell

The cross seems to be Grunwald Cross. I am not sure wether the unit was awarded it or not, but it is very likely.

"imyenya" or "im." is never used in shortcuts.
In polish the unit is usually reffered to as 1DTK (Pierwsza Dywizja imienia Tadeusza Kościuszki) or 1DPTK (Pierwsza Dywizja Piechoty Imienia Tadeusza Kościuszki).
If it's not this unit, and You are right about honorary title like Dniepr, or Don or slt, It would have been some soviet unit fighting on polish territory that was awarded with both ORB and Grunwald Cross. If such unit exists and has some title starting with "d" - it will be this. If not - T. Kościuszko Division

Sounds as good an explanation as mine. Thanks.

[desantnik]

Gents, I'm putting the finishing touches on a book for Soviet WWII veteran znachki. I have a few unknown badges out there and I'd appreciate any assistance.

First victim belongs to the same unit - a guards regiment. Other clues are the honorifics "Petrograd" and "Shaulai" (which I believe is in Lithuania), the unit formation date 1918(also synching with the title "Petrograd" and not Leningrad), and the fact the unit was award the Order of the Red Banner.

Regiment badges are much rarer than larger units like divisions so this must have done something significant to warrant two separate badges to the same regiment.

Thanks in advance.

[desantnik]

This victim was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky - unusual for a unit award. It also was awarded the honorific title "Koenigsberg" and I believe the squashed bug beneath the Nevsky is for construction or transportation units. The "50" belongs to the anniversary of the unit's founding and NOT the unit number.

[desantnik]

OK, these are to artillery units.

The left badge has the honorific "Prague" and various incongruous colors for decorations on the suspension - I'm guessing Budapest and another seems to be Ushakov I or a Bogdan I w/colors inverted(?) - maybe foreign decorations?

The right indicates artillery, a guards unit, the 30th anniversary, and the unit's two decorations - a Lenin and Red Banner. Yeah, I know a lot to go off of...