German Medic's Pouches

[P.B.]

I thought I'd share a recent acquisition to my collection.

 

German Army medic's pouches came in two versions, one for hospital orderlies and one for field medical orderlies each with slightly different contents.  This set is marked with an "S" denoting it's use by combat medics, and is additionally stamped with the date of 1918 and the maker's details of Adolf Schwartz and Co of Berlin,  Each pouch is also stamped with either an R or an L to signify left and right.

 

They are the most complete set I've seen, and when checking against the contents labels pasted in the interior of each lid it seems that only the tablets and drugs have been removed (possibly for safety or legal reasons by a previous collector) although all of the glass bottles and phials are still there, including the spare corks.  The sewing needles have also been removed, but the leather pouches for them remain, and the soap container and metal antiseptic ointment tin still have some original contents.  The other pouch contains it's full complement of sterilized dressings as well as a tourniquet.

 

Post-war these pouches were sometimes used by para-military organisations of even at sporting events by groups similar to our St John's Ambulance and over time the contents can become used up and replaced by non-regulation items.  These pouches however seem to be in their original WWI configuration as carried in 1918.

 

These pouches were part of the superb Michael Baldwin collection, and feature in the 1918 volume of his "Feldzug" set of books, and I consider myself lucky to have obtained them.

 

All the best

 

Paul.

[mark holden]

You did well out of the Michael Baldwin Collection. Lovely Items.

 

I got a couple of bits as well!

 

Regards

 

Mark 

Edited 25 May , 2018 by mark holden
add photos

[P.B.]

Hi Mark

 

Thanks for the reply.  There were indeed some fantastic pieces (and prices!) on the day.  Did you see the Baden RIR 111 pickelhaube and cover that went for £4200?  Both pieces were named to the same soldier (a pre-war goldsmith by the name of Adolf Schroth), who was confirmed as having been captured by the British during the Battle of the Somme -a real time capsule piece and I'm guessing that whoever shelled out big money for it must have known that particular piece of information as it wasn't listed in the catalogue or in Michael Baldwin's book.

 

You got some fine items yourself -bring-backs with labels and provenance like your collar patches seemed to be really popular across both sales. 

 

All the best

 

Paul.

[mark holden]

They are Paul,

 

I bought the MGC soldiers souvenirs in the last auction well documented in Feldzug 16 and hammered accordingly!

 

Regards

 

Mark

[P.B.]

Hi Mark

 

That would be the grouping to a guy named Metcalfe that included a pickelhaube cover and various shoulder straps and belt buckles?  All relating to various German units that fought in the area of Thiepval if I remember correctly.

 

It was an absolutely superb souvenir group, and you're no doubt really pleased to have won it.  Looking back a few years from now, something tells me that we might not consider some of the prices too extreme -many of these pieces were in the Baldwin collection for decades and this was the one opportunity to pick them up before they disappear from the market again.

 

Best Regards

 

Paul.

[mark holden]

That's the one Paul he was 6th Bn Yorks Regt wounded Sept 1915 at Gallipoli then transferred MGC.

[Michael Haselgrove]

Dear All,

Many congratulations on your purchases - worth every penny you paid and thanks for the excellent photos. 

Michael.

[mark holden]

Thank you Michael.

[P.B.]

Thanks for your kind comments Michael -I can't take credit for the photographs sadly, they're well above my level of ability!

 

All the best

 

Paul.

[trenchtrotter]

I bid on an earlier item and this prevented me bidding on these pouches which were my second choice. Having seen what you got them for I would have pushed you up quite a bit on my top bid sent in. Lol. Lucky my first bid was successful. Lovely items.

[P.B.]

Thanks TT -I did think that I might have to dig deeper to win these!

 

There were a lot of fantastic items, and of course there's another sale still to come in November.

 

Pleased to hear that you managed to pick something up for your own collection -can I ask what you got?  Obviously I appreciate you might not want to reveal your purchase on an open forum, but whatever it was I'm sure it's a worthy addition to your collection.

 

All the best

 

Paul.

[28juni14]

Most appreciative for the excellent fotos and content itemization of those medical pouches!   Coincidentally, a few days ago a lad had inquired on this forum about the precise information you've provided!