Polish Parachute Wing Badge – Cpl. Janusz Banaszkiewicz 3565

Rare WWII Polish Parachute Badge. This is an exceptional original Polish Parachute Wing Badge, awarded to Cpl. Janusz Banaszkiewicz of the 1st Company, 1st Parachute Battalion, 1st Parachute Brigade. The badge, featuring a striking eagle, bears the inscription ‘Tobie Ojczyzno’ (For you, Fatherland) with his personal number 3565 and number 374 on the wreath assigned to Banaszkiewicz.

Cpl. Banaszkiewicz served with distinction during Operation Market Garden. On September 23, 1944, he parachuted from plane no. 26 as part of the Polish brigade’s deployment. Dropped near Grave at 4:45 PM, he and 564 Polish paratroopers returned to action after an earlier mission had been aborted. The following evening, they reached Driel to reinforce the trapped British forces at Arnhem, facing intense German opposition. Unfortunately, during the drop, 20 paratroopers were injured.

This badge not only honors the bravery of Polish forces during WWII but also reflects the personal story of Cpl. Banaszkiewicz. After the war, he changed his name to Banaz Kiewiets (which is more Dutch), and fathered two children—Janusz Josephus Banaszkiewicz (born in 1952) and another child in 1953. Tragically, both children passed away young, adding a poignant chapter to his life.
The final photo features a newspaper article, written in Dutch, detailing his official name change.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to own a historically significant artifact.