Rumanian Paratrooper's Badge

Nice and rare badge from King Michael's period (is it genuine, though?).

Gen. Dénes

I wonder that myself....

Here's the back side of the badge. Not very inspiring...

Gen. Dénes

A cast copy. Look at the metal texture on the back and the off color of blue and red. The original badge has the same look to the back of the badge as the front and has a heavy duty pin with locking clasp.

Thanks for the info.
Do you have pictures with an original badge?

As I think,it's copy,
This symbol of King Mihai is very strange design,

Mihai

The backs of 4 variations of parachute badges WW2 period. Top row, both badges have a heavy pin with locking clasp. The bottom row, both badges have thin pins.

4 variations of the WW2 Parachute badge. All original badges. Badges 2,3,4 are silver wash finish over brass. The first badge in row 1 is heavy silver metal with very old enamelling. Center King Michael emblem has white enamel. Probably the first version made in 1941. Badge number 2 in bottom row has a center insignia of King Carol. The badge is original, however, I beleive that the center insignia had been removed after the war in an effort to de-identify the monarch and do away with the royal signs. I beleive that a dealer had restored the badge and placed a Carol enamel center insignia insted of Michael emblem on the badge. My second opinion of this badge is that the Parachute batallion was formed one month before King Michael took the throne. Perhaps original, perhaps a married piece. Not sure when the parachute badge was officially authorized for wear.

Very nice set of badges, R. U. Collector.
Particularly the King Carol type badge would be a rare piece, I'd guess...

Gen. Dénes

I'm amazed by your collection REGAL UNIFORMA COLLECTOR!

How long have you been collecting?

I have been collecting Royal Romanian Militaria for about 12 years. Does anyone know exactly when the 4th Parachute Battalion was formed ? I have several books which indicate dates of June 1940 and other books that indicate June 1941. A descrepancy in the history books. If it is 1940, then the Carol badge could have existed as Michael took the throne in July. If the Batallion was formed in 1941, then I know that the center insignia is not original to the badge.

Several years ago, I aquired a very rare WW2 Infantry Colonel's uniform from a family estate in Australia. It consisted of the Colonel's tunic and visor cap. Unfortunatly, the family wanted to remain unonymous. It was the standard infantry uniform with red band on the visor and red colar patches on the uniform. The uniform had a unique parachute patch on the left sleeve. The only information that I was able to obtain was that the Colonel was involved with the Parachute Battalion and was also an intellegence officer who had to escape from Romania after the war. I understand that in 1944, the Parachute Battalion originally consisting of 7 companies raised by the Air Force, had increased in size to include an army contingent or army trained air force personnel. This made up additional trained companies consisting of the 8th and 9th Infantry Companies, 10th Support Weapons Company, 11th HQ Company and a Depot Company. The infantry companies had 3 rifle platoons with a high proportion of Schmeisser MP40 SMG, a machine gun platoon with ZB53 HMG's, a mortar platoon with Brandt 60mm mortars and an Assault pioneer platoon with flamethrowers. The Support Weapons Company included Bohler 47mm A/T guns and Brandt 81.4mm mortars. The HQ Company included a motorcycle reconnaissance platoon.

ref: The Romanian Army of World War 2. Mark Axworthy, Horia Serbanescu.

I beleive that this Colonel had something to do with the re-organization and training of the Parachute Battalion in 1944 and that this uniform is very researchable.