Hello from Texas Panhandle

[noob]

Hello,

My name is Brian and I am in a living history group here in Amarillo, Texas. We are the only group like this for hundreds and hundreds of miles but due to location can not easily go to the big stuff which always seems to me to be on the east coast as money is not easy for me.

Anyway as Ive been in the group for two years Ive decided to do medic as we do not have one. I know almost nothing. Ive got a reproduction medic yoke and 2 original medic bags both with the straps. Got the two canteens, two carlisle pouches and an extra helmet to which i can paint the medic symbols on, and a repro belt to hook it all to. My group is First Divsion so my helmet marking should be appropriate with that unit. 4 panel markings perhaps?

Any information you could depart to my ignorance would be greatly appreciated as I intend to do those who served an authentic protrayal while educating the general public. Hooking up bags to yoke for example. How do they hook up exactly?

Thanks,
Brian

[Ben]

Brian,
Welcome to the Forum, and I hope you will have a great time with the Forum here. It's always good to see new re-enactors putting together a Medical impression, so good luck with your research and getting everything together. It sounds as though you've done very well already with the items that you have sourced. Markings for the 1st Infantry Division were not standard. Indeed, there seems to be a number of markings, and some not having any at all. For example, the following photograph shows a medic of the 1st Division tending to an injured German soldier in Normandy, France:



Thanks and good luck!
Ben

[noob]

Can you tell me how the gear all hooks together as they would have worn in the field?

Does the yoke hook to the pistol belt and then bags to the belt? With the hooks on the bags they hang a fair bit down from the belt. Is this the way its suppose to be handled? and if done that way what is done with the straps from the bags?

Also Ive got a mussete bag that Ive used as a pack. I dont see anyway to use it with the medic yoke. Ive seen picks of it attached to the 36 (43?) suspenders but dont see how that could be done with the medic yoke. Or was it? I thought ive seen pics where it was worn but cant find a good pic to see for sure if/how that was done.

Thanks,
Brian

[Ben]

Brian,

You might want to see my reply to your other Forum message. The following page on our website might help:
http://med-dept.com/405_95.php

As for the use of the M1936 Field Bag, the only way to use this as a bag pack would be to attach it to the M36 Suspenders. I seem to recall having seen a single photograph of this in use, but cannot locate it at the moment.

Regards,
Ben

[noob]

Ah so you did. thanks. I truly expected the yoke to attach to the belt. Guess thats not the case.

[Alain]

Hi Brian,
We have another project in hand which is to include detailed illustrations + explanations on how to wear the different parts and subassemblies of the individual medical first-aid kits.
We are indeed receiving more inquiries about the subject, and I think it might be interesting to try and explain how everything works.

Thanks for your interest and I hope you'll have a pleasant stay on this Forum.
Best,

Alain S. Batens