Short answer: what Polish soldiers wore in 1939
In the September 1939 campaign, most Polish soldiers wore a khaki-brown or olive-khaki wool tunic and trousers, a square-topped rogatywka or forage cap, brown leather belts and boots, and a knee-length khaki overcoat in cold weather. The steel helmet was the French-pattern Adrian in many units and the bowl-type wz.35 in infantry. Cavalry, armoured and highland units had their own features, and shades varied between units.
Base uniform
- Tunic and trousers: khaki wool, in shades that ranged from brown to green. Some sources refer to the tunic as the wz.36, so check a reference for the exact pattern.
- Cavalry breeches: reinforced with leather inserts on the inside seam.
- Coveralls: some artillery and armoured troops wore one-piece khaki coveralls on duty.
- Leather coats: the 10th Motorised Division wore mid-length black leather coats on service.
- Overcoat: knee-length khaki overcoats protected troops from the cold.
Headgear and helmets
- Rogatywka: the square-topped wool peaked cap with a metal Polish eagle badge. It was the usual undress cap, in the same colour as the field uniform.
- Forage cap: a second cap pattern, worn off duty.
- Adrian helmet: the French-pattern steel helmet adopted after the Russo-Polish War, with the eagle badge painted khaki-green. It stayed in use with cavalry, some artillery and National Guard units.
- Wz.35 bowl helmet: introduced in 1935 and issued to infantry. It had a textured finish.
- Highland helmet: the Podhale (highland) division wore a heavy felt helmet with a brass eagle and an eagle feather.
- Other helmets: some mechanised units used a khaki-painted German helmet from the First World War. Armoured units modified the Adrian with a leather visor.
Footwear, belts and equipment
Infantry, artillery and armoured troops wore brown leather ankle boots. Officers and cavalry wore knee-length brown leather boots on duty. Belts were brown leather, and canvas equipment was light khaki. Equipment varied by unit.
Cavalry, armoured and highland differences
Cavalry regiments carried lance pennants and collar patches that differed by regiment. Pre-war doctrine had cavalry leave their lances in barracks on active duty, but some regiments took them into battle anyway. Armoured units used the modified Adrian, and the highland division’s helmet was unique to that formation.
Collar patches, lance pennants and rank
Some infantry kept blue collar patches left over from the pre-war period, while others had plain collars. Some overcoats had yellow-over-blue stripes on the collar. Rank was shown on the shoulder straps, and in the highland division also on the front of the helmet.
Identifying 1939 pieces
- Check the date. Many surviving items are postwar issue or reproductions.
- Check the helmet. Adrian and wz.35 helmets are common reproductions, so compare finish, liner and markings with a dated reference.
- Read the source. Miniature-wargaming guides are useful for colour and cut, but they are not museum records.
- Keep the context in mind. The campaign began with the German invasion on 1 September 1939 and the Soviet invasion on 17 September 1939 (for the Red Army’s kit, see Soviet WWII uniforms and insignia). Genuine 1939 items are relatively scarce.
For the French helmet that the Polish army also used, see French WWII uniforms.