French 4th SAS Veteran’s Parachute Badges Sell At Auction
A small group of three Second World War period French Special Air Service (SAS) related badges recently sold at auction in Wavre, Belgium on 6 December 2025.
The group, which was simply described as “Lot of 3 British-made pieces, title FRANCE white thread on khaki large worn model, SAS Parachutist brevet worn, Polish Parachutist brevet numbered 3116 with missing wheel, likely from a French member of the 4th SAS” had an estimate of between €200 to €350.
Using the two superb Polish parachutist reference books, Historia Polskiego Znaku Spadochronowego, Materiały. Dokumenty. Źródła. Archiwalia by Jan Lorys and Tobie Ojczyzno: Znaki Spadochronowe i Szybowcowe w Polskich Siłach Zbrojnych (1941-1947) by Rafal Niedziela my research indicated that the Polish parachutist badge, which has all the correct features for an example made by Kirkwood & Sons, was issued to Frenchman, Clément Goder, whom I then identified as a member of the 4th (French) SAS Regiment.
Clément Louis René Goder was born November 11, 1922 in Port Louis (Mauritius). He joined the Free French Forces (FFL) on January 25, 1943 in Madagascar and assigned to the 1er Bataillon d’Infanterie de l’Air, (1er B.I.A) (1st Air Infantry Battalion) in April 1943, FAFL number 31551. 1er B.I.A would become the 4th (French) SAS Regiment.
Between February 1943 and August 1943, he trained in the UK, along with other French SAS parachutists including Achille Muller whose artifacts are on display at the French Airborne Museum, and completed parachute training under the supervision of the 1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade at Upper Largo in Scotland, earning the Polish parachutist badge number 3116 as a trainee in course 64.
Goder was promoted to Private First Class on 08 August 1943. On 23 October 1943 he was one of the participating paratroopers when Pierre Marienne led a historic parachute jump, where 20 Free French SAS soldiers exited a C-47 aircraft in a stunning 7.5 seconds, setting a world record for speed and testing new jump techniques.
Assigned to 3 Squadron, on 09 June 1944, Goder parachuted into France as part of the second wave of the 4th SAS’ Operation DINGSON mission. He then participated in Operation SPENSER in the region of Bourges in German-occupied France from 26 August to 14 September 1944. This was followed by Operation FRANKLIN where he served as a member of 4 patrol A Troop from 24 January 1944 until 30 January 1945. After R&R in England, Clément Goder then moved over to 1 Squadron of the 4th SAS and as a member of the stick 4, participated in Operation AMHERST from 04 – 20 April 1945.
Whilst I could not confirm that the ‘FRANCE’ shoulder title or Special Air Service parachutist wing also belonged to Goder or were added to the set, his Polish parachutist badge made this a very desirable group. However, I was not the only collector to recognise this and unfortunately, my bid was nowhere close to the final price hammer price of €6,200 which did not include the buyer’s commission of around 25%.
