Medical Equipment of a Private
(Period 1940 – 1942)
2 X Strap, Cantle Ring M-1932 (item #97065)
2 X Pouch, Canvas M-1932 (item #97085)
1 X Suspender M-1920 (item #97095)
(NOTE: since the Private wears a full kit, i.e. TWO medical pouches, he will use the Suspender to support the weight of subject pouches) The same Suspender was sometimes used by B.A.R. men in order to help support the weight of their full cartridge belt ! Being wider, it was more comfortable than the regular M-36 field suspenders
(Individual Equipment Layout of Army Service Forces Catalog MED 3 Medical Supply Catalog 1 March, 1944)
The pouches were worn at the hips and were supported by an extra wide loadbearing suspender or harness (i.e. yoke) . Both pouches were then fastened by means of the respective hooks (1 each side, i.e. 2 per pouch) which clipped into the eyelets of the M-1936 pistol belt . The 2 cantle ring straps were just fastened to the 2 canvas pouches in order to link both . In most cases litter bearers also had 2 litter carrying straps, which were either packed in the left canvas pouch or just hooked onto the front rings of the suspender (when used, they were just passed around the litter handles and hooked, both front and rear to the suspender in order to alleviate the patient's weight)
 |
The medical equipment was designed for efficiency and adaptability to different conditions. Therefore each pouch had an adjustable "false bottom' that would make the pouch expandable to carry additional medical supplies. This was done by lacing up front and rear strips with eyelets, attached half way down each external surface, both front and rear (see illustration below). When lacings were removed, the size of the pouch almost doubled. |
(Diagram from Army Service Forces Catalog MED 3 Medical Supply Catalog 1 March, 1944)
The pouch illustrated on the left is an early pouch circa 1932 (expanded) where the strap is still made out of leather. The pouch illustrated on the right shows another pouch (shortened) where the leather closing strap has been replaced by web material (to avoid easy wear and tear).
(General Medical Kit & Basic Accessories – period 1940-1942 – the parts illustrated above are from the collection of Alain Batens)
From L to R and horizontally: 1 X Litter Securing Strap, 1 X Left Canvas Pouch, 1 X Suspender, 1 X Right Canvas Pouch (please note the holder's ASN# stenciled on both pouches and suspender, i.e. in abbreviated form, first capital letter of surname, hyphen, 4 last digits of ASN#), 1 X Cantle Ring Strap, 1 X Cantle Ring Strap, 1 X Litter Carrying Strap, 1 X Litter Carrying Strap, 1 X Geneva Convention Brassard w/Safety Pin (front & rear view). (Please note stamped capital letter + digits which should also appear on Geneva Convention ID card)
Remark: Litter Securing Strap is item #99386, Geneva Convention Brassard is item # 99135
Contents of a Private Right Pouch (1940-42)
(Pvte’s Medical Canvas Pouch & Related Items – period 1940-1942 – the parts illustrated above are from the collection of Alain Batens)
(Pvte’s Medical Canvas Pouch & Related Items – period 1940-1942 – the parts illustrated above are from the collection of Alain Batens)
Right pouch – from L to R and horizontally: 12 X Plain Gauze White Bandages, 1 X Canvas Pouch + 1 X Cantle Ring Strap, 1 X Adhesive Surgical Plaster, 1 X Carton Medium Safety Pins, 1 X Insert Type I w/Lace + 1 X Flask w/Cup, + 1 X Metal Container No.1 w/6 X Iodine Swabs, + 1 X Small Glass Bottle (not official), 3 X Triangular Compressed White Bandages, 1 X Bandage Scissors, 1 X Hemostatic Forceps, 1 X Double-Blunt Scissors
Missing items: Ammonia Aromatic Spirit, 1 X Carton Medium Safety Pins, 1 X Enlisted Men’s Instrument Canvas Case
RIGHT Canvas Pouch contents:
1 X Insert, Type I with Lace (item #97070) with 1 X Flask with Cup + 2 Oz. Ammonia, Aromatic, Spirit (item #99250) and with 1X Container, Metal, N°1 (item #97675) containing 12 X Swab, Iodine (item #91120)
1 X Plaster, Adhesive, Surgical, 1-in x 5 yds (item #20340) on spool for fixing bandages
1 X Scissors, Bandage (item #34680)
2 X Pin, Safety, Medium (item #78780)
12 X Bandage, Gauze, Compressed, White, 3-in x 6 yds (item #92010)
3 X Bandage, Triangular, Compressed, White (item #92040)
1 X Case, Instrument, Enlisted Men’s (canvas case, item unkown) with 1 X Forceps, Hemostatic (item #32295) and 1 X Scissors, Double-Blunt (item #93690)
Contents of a Private's Right Pouch (1944-45)
(Pvte’s Medical Canvas Pouch & Related Items – period 1944-1945 – the parts illustrated above are from the collection of Alain Batens)
Right pouch - from L to R and horizontally: 1 X Carton Medium Safety Pins, 1 X Canvas Pouch + 1 X Cantle Ring Strap, 1 X Bandage Scissors, 1 X Metal Container No.1 w/6 Iodine Swabs, 1 X Burn-Injury Set, 1 X Adhesive Surgical Plaster, 3 X Triangular Compressed White Bandages, 1 X Adhesive White Gauze Bandage w/ 16 X Stickbands, 1 X Eye Dressing Set, 1 X Field Tourniquet
Missing Items: 1 X Carton Medium Safety Pins
MODIFICATIONS
1 X Flask, with Cup (Modification: 1944, cancelled)
1 X Container, Metal, N°1 containing 12 X Swab, Iodine (Modification: end of 1943, contents reduced to only 6 Iodine swabs, either still included in the Metal Container, or packed in the new 1 X Box, Swab, Iodine (item #91120)
1 X Case, Instrument, Enlisted Men’s with contents (Modification: 1944, cancelled)
1 X Set, Burn, Injury (item #91038) (Modification: early 1944, introduced)
1 X Set, Eye, Dressing (item #91095) (Modification: early 1944, introduced)
1 X Bandage, Gauze, Adhesive, White (item #9200000) containing 16 X Stickband, White, Sterilized, 1-in x 3-in (Modification: Mid 1944, introduced (plse note increased number of digits, i.e. 5 > 7)
1 X Tourniquet, Field (item #93780 (Modification: 1944, introduced)
1 X Set, Eye, Dressing (Modification: February 1945, cancelled and replaced by 1 X Set, Eye, Dressing, M-2 (item #9109510)
1 X Bandage, Gauze, Adhesive, White with 16 Stickbands (Modification: February 1945, cancelled and replaced by Field Brown colored material (item #9200100)
1 X Tourniquet, Field (Modification: June 1945, cancelled and replaced by 1 X Tourniquet, Elastic, Field (item #9377900)
Contents of a Private's Left Pouch (1940-42)
(Pvte’s Medical Canvas Pouch & Related Items – period 1940-1942 – the parts illustrated are from the collection of Alain Batens)
Left Pouch - from L to R and horizontally: 8 X Small First-Aid White Dressings (different suppliers), 1 X Canvas Pouch + 1 X Cantle Ring Strap, 1 X EMT Book w/20 Tags, 1 X EMT (loose tag), 1 X Lead Pencil, 2 X Litter Carrying Straps, 1 X Geneva Convention Brassard, 1 X Geneva Convention ID Card (2nd pattern), 1 X Geneva Convention ID Document (1st pattern), 1 X Small White Towel (personal item, not official), 1 X Suspender
LEFT Canvas Pouch contents:
1 X Pencil, Lead (item #76240) usually with protector cap)
8 X Dressing, First-Aid, Small, White (item #92060)
2 X Strap, Litter, Carrying (item #97080) to help support weight of litter (with patient)
1 X Book, Emergency Medical Tags (form 52b) containing 20 identical tags
(Period 1944 – 1945)
MODIFICATIONS
8 X Dressing, First-Aid, Small, White (Modification: February 1945, cancelled and replaced by Field Brown colored material (item #9206100)
(NOTE:Those items that are not repeated throughout the listed contents REMAIN in use ! The author still misses a few Medical Item Numbers, if you think you can help, kindly forward the information to the Webmaster – any help will be appreciated – many thanks again )
|
 |
