(Medical) backpack

[Peter B]

Hy,

 

Do you guys know more about the us ww2 medical backpack, the one you must attach to your Yukon or plywood packboard. there isn't very much information over the subject. There is a very good article on the medical research centre's website https://www.med-dept.com/articles/miscellaneous-medical-bags-packs/ Here you can find that there are a total of 5 different types of bags were produced. Is it possible with the help from this forum to get a picture of al five ? and do we know what the difference is between them ?

Here is a picture of a pack of mine, but I am not quite sure that this is one of the 5 ww2 types, due to the way they fasten the metal lips at the and of the straps. There have a hole in it, the way the Dutch army would have done it. (is this original ?)

Thanks, Peter.

 

 

 

[Peter B]

And how many of you have a pack with US on front ? The picture on the site https://www.med-dept...cal-bags-packs/ shows a pack with the attachment straps for the plywood packboard and a rather nice us on top. And I found this picture on the web,

 

But I think its fair to say that there are many more bags whit out the stenciling....

 

 

Thanks, Peter.

[oldabewla]

Ben Majors is the founder of Med-Dept a great web site, he is also a forum member here and would know more about what you have. This medical backpack system is what I think to be part of the mountain division gear system that's why they are what I assume to be on the rare side?

[LtRGFRANK]

This is a pack I've had but never figured out what it was

 

[LtRGFRANK]

[LtRGFRANK]

sorry second picture is wrong

[Peter B]

Hi there, that is a nice looking pack, it appears to have a darker shade of green od no7. You have it strapped to a Yukon style backboard, but I think that this bag was designed for the plywood board.(when you sent a picture of the back we know fore sure).

The bag thats intended for the wooden Yukon board has two big loops that fit over the top of the vertical posts of the frame (see picture). The bag designed for the plywood board has three straps on top (along with the straps on the side) that fit through the holes on top of the frame.

 

 

 

Somewhere, I can't remember where, I have seen a picture of the insert of these packs, they were fitted 4 or 5 rectangular bags with a zipper on top filled with medical supply. Is there a member of the forum that has a nice picture of such a bag, or better, owns one !!!!.

And is there any proof of carrying anything other in the pack than the bags mentioned above ??

 

Thanks, Peter.

[LtRGFRANK]

I will move it over to a plywood one. Thanks

[rambob]

Here is a photo out of the MED 3 medical catalog dated March 1, 1944. It shows the zippered inner pouches of the medical bag, with medical components being shown. I have not seen any examples of the zippered pouches so far, but I believe many are out there probably being misidentified as other WWII items.

 

Bob

[Johan Willaert]

Here's a similar bag from my collection, mounted to a plywood packboard...

 

No US marking or any other on this bag...

 

I believe all bags were rather similar, but the content varied...

[LtRGFRANK]

Here is a photo out of the MED 3 medical catalog dated March 1, 1944. It shows the zippered inner pouches of the medical bag, with medical components being shown. I have not seen any examples of the zippered pouches so far, but I believe many are out there probably being misidentified as other WWII items.

 

Bob

 

so thats what the inside contained. Somethings to keep an eye out for.

[med-dept]

The information posted in this thread is already accurate, and there's not too much I can add to the discussion really. There were indeed two patterns for the Packboard Bag; an early one with large canvas loops for affixing to the Yukon Packboard, and a later model which replaced the loops with straps for use with the Plywood Packboard.

 

As Johan has indicated, the only thing that actually changed was the contents, the Bags were identical in each component kit.

 

By the way, the zippered interior compartments are almost impossible to find. I've only ever seen them in photographs, and that was via another collector's web page some time ago.

 

Cheers,

Ben.

[Peter B]

Super, thanks for sharing guys, that picture is the one !!! It would be rather nice to have a few of those bags... And wat is your opinion about the straps on my pack ? Is it perhaps Brittish made ? Is it Dutch post war ? Any thoughts about that ?

 

 

Thanks, Peter.

[med-dept]

Do you have better pictures of the buckles and other hardware? I'd say it's post-war Dutch to be honest, unless there are any other markings?

 

Cheers,

Ben.

[Peter B]

Unfortunately there are no markings on the bag, I suspect its dutch to.... hope someone Can prove me wrong. I am going to make some detaild pictures.

 

Thanks peter.

[oldabewla]

Most of the WWII US Army medic gear is unmarked.

[Andrew]

Unfortunately there are no markings on the bag, I suspect its dutch to.... hope someone Can prove me wrong. I am going to make some detaild pictures.

 

Thanks peter.

The metal tips on the straps are typical of Dutch post-war field gear, and during the early post-war period the Dutch forces used locally made copies of a range of US equipment - in particular, the Korps Mariniers. Some of the Dutch 'clones' are extremely similar to the US GI originals.

[Andrew]

Unfortunately there are no markings on the bag, I suspect its dutch to.... hope someone Can prove me wrong. I am going to make some detaild pictures.

 

Thanks peter.

The metal tips on the straps are typical of Dutch post-war field gear, and during the early post-war period the Dutch forces used locally made copies of a range of US equipment - in particular, the Korps Mariniers. Some of the Dutch 'clones' are extremely similar to the US GI originals.

['Flage Guy]

Pretty neat to see a discussion on the "Medical Packs". Always thought these were really cool; had one for many years before learning what it was.

The 2 main variants will mount to both Yukon and Plywood Boards; thought I had pics of the "top corner loop" Pack lashed to a Plywood Board, but I don't...Dang.

The 2nd model Pack below is mounted to a Yukon which is rare in itself, as it utilizes web reinforcements rather than leather...

[Peter B]

The metal tips on the straps are typical of Dutch post-war field gear, and during the early post-war period the Dutch forces used locally made copies of a range of US equipment - in particular, the Korps Mariniers. Some of the Dutch 'clones' are extremely similar to the US GI originals.

 

Never realized that the Dutch reproduced us ww2 gear after the war !, I do know that they used ww2 us surplus to fill in the gabs. ( like the scabbard M1A1 carrying the folding stock carbine )

 

Thanks Peter.

[Peter B]

Pretty neat to see a discussion on the "Medical Packs". Always thought these were really cool; had one for many years before learning what it was.

The 2 main variants will mount to both Yukon and Plywood Boards; thought I had pics of the "top corner loop" Pack lashed to a Plywood Board, but I don't...Dang.

The 2nd model Pack below is mounted to a Yukon which is rare in itself, as it utilizes web reinforcements rather than leather...

 

Hy Flage Guy,

 

I have the Yukon style pack-board on my shopping list, and therefore I am very curious about the webbing versus leather reinforcement, do you have some pictures ?

 

Thanks, Peter.

 

[Peter B]

Do you have better pictures of the buckles and other hardware? I'd say it's post-war Dutch to be honest, unless there are any other markings?

 

Cheers,

Ben.

Here are some closeup pictures, just to inform other collectors over the post ww2 hardware.

 

[Peter B]

[Peter B]

And the last...

[med-dept]

Thanks for the close-ups of the hardware. Those certainly look like Dutch hardware, which is very interesting as I've never seen such before on one of these bags.

 

Cheers,

Ben.