WW2 Polish Eagle Side Cap Badge – PSZnZ – British Made (Gaunt)

An authentic Polish military eagle badge, specifically designed for side caps (furażerka) and issued to the Polish Armed Forces in the West during WWII. The badge depicts a crowned eagle perched upon an Amazon shield (pelta). This particular variant features a blank central shield on the pelta and a hollow-back (stamped) reverse. Manufactured in Great Britain, likely by the renowned firm J.R. Gaunt & Son, London, it is crafted from white metal or silvered brass. The eagle remains in excellent condition with crisp details on the feathers and the closed crown.

Historical context:
Following the fall of Poland and the subsequent formation of the Polish Free Forces in the UK, British manufacturers were contracted to produce national insignia. These "British-made" eagles, based on the wz. 39 pattern, became a distinctive symbol of Polish soldiers serving alongside the Allies in the 1st Armoured Division and the Independent Parachute Brigade.