Medics of WW1 - Photos, Gear, etc.

[Chip M]

I have very few photos of German medical pouches available that aren't copyrighted. Does anyone have photos of complete or semi complete kits?

There were two distinct types of issue medical "first aid" pouches for ground troops, one pair (right and left) for Sanitäter and one pair for Krankenträger. They were differentiated by stamps on the rear lid lip, "K" or "S". They were further marked with an "L" or and"R" for right and left. Each pouch had a different list of contents, which was pasted to the inside of the lid. Here is a list of the contents by pouch. I have also included a list found on the inside of a prewar issue or private purchase first aid pouch.

Sanitätsunteroffizier, "Arzneimittel" Right side:
Terpentinöl, 20 gr.
Salmiakgeist, 15 gr.
Salicyltalg, Blechschachtel zu 20 gr., 4 Korke
Weinsäure, 10 Tabletten zu 0,75 gr.
Doppelt kohlensaures Natron, 10 Tabletten zu 1 gr.
Seife, 1 Stück in 1 Metallbüchse
Zinkkautschukpflaster, 1 Rolle in 1 Pappschachtel
Atherische Baldriantinktur, 20 gr.
Opiumtinktur, , 20 gr.
Senfpapier, 5 halbe Blatt in 1 Ledertasche

Sanitätsunteroffizier, "Verbandsmittel" Left side:
-1 Presstück zu 3 keimfreien Binden von Kambrik zu 5x7 cm
-3 keimfreie Verbandpäckchen
-1 Presstück 10 keimfreie Mullstreifen zu 200x20 cm
-Nadeln, Zwirn in 1 Ledertasche
-Auf dem Boden unter den Gurtschlaufen: 1 elastische Binde
oder ein grosses dreieckiges Tuch
(Im Deckel: 1 Verbandschale von Reinnickel.) Alternate Content

Krankenträger, Right side:
-Auf dem Boden: 1 großes dreieckiges Tuch, 1 kleines dreieckiges Tuch
- Darüber: 7 keimfreie Verbandpäckchen

Krankenträger, Left side:
- 1 Zwirntuchtasche, darin: 1 gerade Schere, 1 anatomische Pinzette
- 1 Presstück zu 10 keimfreien Mullstreifen zu 200x20 cm
- 3 keimfreie Verbandpäckchen
- Nadeln, Zwirn in 1 Ledertasche
- 1 Rolle Zinkkautschukpflaster, 5m x 2,5cm in 1 Pappschachtel
- Auf den Boden unter den Gurtschlaufen: 1 großes dreieckiges Tuch

Pre-war Issue or Private Purchase Pouch Contents
- 1 Hartgummikasten mit Bürste und Seife
- 5 Verbandpäckchen
- 3 Kambricbinden
- 1 Nadeltasche
- Auf dem Boden: 1 großes dreieckiges Tuch
- An der inneren Seite des Deckels: 1 Schere, 1 Nadelreiniger

I also have photos of some of these things from my collection.

[Chip M]

I just noticed it, but that photo of King Ludwig inspecting the medic dog is from the same series of photos as one that appears in Jurgen Kraus' the German Army in the First World War book on page 511.

The "medics" in the photo with King Ludwig are actually all doctors.

Chip

[Hoss]

Wonderful info and photographs

Thanks relichunter for those incredible images.
Chip
Your knowledge on Imperial never ceases to amaze me. Have you thought lately of putting together some reference books on the subject.

Eric

[RelicHunter]

Chip, if you want, would you post photos of your German medic pouch kits? As I said, complete kits are hard to find photographic references for.
I'm going to try and work on completing a few of those while I work on my American corps belt.

Also, does anyone have actual WW1 period German steel helmets with red crosses painted on them? I've seen many for sale in various places online, but have only actually ever seen one period photo of one in existence (terrible resolution so not worth posting). But I do know they existed at least to some extent.

[RelicHunter]

Great story about a French medical dog:

As important as the messengers, were the Red Cross dogs, who were equipped with first aid in saddlebags and wore vests bearing a red cross.They saved thousands, on both sides. One dog named Prusco was said to have located more than 100 wounded men after a single battle.

Their training gave them specific skills, but also encouraged them to think for themselves. The dogs were trained to bring the wounded man’s cap or helmet back to the trench, and then lead medics to their fallen comrade. But often the soldier had lost his cap, or his helmet was fastened too tightly under his chin for the dog to remove it. Then, the dog would have to use his initiative and pick a different item, anything that could be used to make the point: “Wounded man! Send help!” Michael, a French Red Cross dog, made headlines with one decision he made. After a sweep of a battlefield, Michael returned, carrying the glove of a wounded soldier, identified by the newspapers only as Henri. “He could scarcely wait for the attendants to bring a litter before he started off again, his great intelligent eyes imploring them to hurry.”

Michael led them to a remote part of the field, where they found Henri, “lying still and cold.” After a hasty exam, they decided Henri was dead and hurried back to their trench without him.

The dog refused to accept the doctor’s decision, and returned again and again for assistance. When he was ignored, Michael disappeared. Late that night, by the light of a full moon, a French guard noticed an odd movement. “Not 20 feet away, creeping slowly toward the trenches, but halting abruptly every minute, was a large, dark object.” His rifle raised and ready, the Frenchman crept up on the odd form, then cried out, “Michael!” The dog had come back, with a battlefield souvenir no one could ignore. “Behind him, parts of his uniform literally torn away by the dog’s teeth, lay Henri, dragged from the battlefield, inch by inch, by the devoted animal. Miracle of miracles, the boy was breathing.” Henri was whisked to a hospital, and eventually recovered.

Original text link:
http://www.petcem.com/_fileCabinet/A...ogsNov2007.pdf
Also includes a great story about the messenger dog 'Satan' of Verdun.

[SteelhelmJim]

Excellent thread. We never get enough of the medic stuff.

[SteelhelmJim]

Here's a shot of my daughter's husband's grandfather. He was medic in both wars.

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...1&d=1321813162

[SteelhelmJim]

And another one from a personal family album.

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...1&d=1321813542

[Chip M]

RelicHunter,

Medical pouches with contents still intact are quite rare to find. I only know of a few examples. I own just a few dressings of various types. Here is a photo of the Sanitätertasche from a German friend's collection. It shows some of the glass vial contents of the "R" pouch. From left to right they are, Salmiakgeist (Ammonium Hydroxide), which is basically houshold ammonia, Opiumtinktur containing codeine and morphine for pain, Terpentinöl or oil of turpentine is a pain reliever when used on the skin, Ätherische Baldriantinktur is a sedative.

Chip

[SteelhelmJim]

Chip, a WW1 pouch, with contents, just sold on eBay. I think it went for around $169.00 !!!

[Hoss]

A Catholic Feldgeistliche in his traditional German clergy hat conducts mass for officers and men of an unidentified Jäger-Battalion.

Eric

[RelicHunter]

Yeah, in that clergy photo you can see the purple band running through the brassard.

[RelicHunter]

Here is another photo of an Austrian medic brassard I just saw online. It may support the notion that Austrian brassards had their own unique shape more similar to American models than German. It looks identical to the photo I posted previously from a sterbebild.

[Hoss]

Great thread Relichunter.

Eric

[Chip M]

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Chip