After the fall of Poland at the end of the German invasion and the Soviet Union on October 6, 1939, part of thePolish army was able to escapeacross the borders of Romania (until now neutral),  Hungary, Latvia and Lithuania. There are estimates that between 200,000 and 300,000 Polish soldiers were able to escape and be evacuated to France and the United Kingdom.

 

The evacuated troops formed the new Polish Army in Exile under the command of GeneralWladyslaw Sikorski. Among the many battles in which they participated,  between April and June 1940 at the beginning of the war, the new army participated in the German invasion of  in Norway ( Independent Polish Mountain Brigade) - Battle of Narvik,  y  in France (I Grenadier Division and II Rifle Division) during the German invasion, being able to be evacuated much of them inDunkirk.

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These troops were equipped with the uniformity of the country where they were formed, with the distinctive Polish insignia and emblems, such as the Polish Eagle painted on the front of the helmet,