medic equipment

[soldatsoucy1]

Soon we of the 3e BCCP are going to conduct some of our own photo ops and one of the things we want to do is create some shots of a medic in action "so to speak". Suggestions for staged shots are welcome but I have also a couple of questions.

1. Prior to 1949-50, I presume that the French Colonial and other forces were using the US Army medic pouch or pouches...may be not the cantled pair but at least one on a shoulder strap...using this rather than the later French copy? Thats what I presume because I havent seen many pics of any French medics using the pair of US medic bags.

2. I also am presuming that at least a part of their medic kit would have included US military medical equipment...bandages and the like and perhaps some items left over from WWII era...litters, bandages, morphine syrettes, and the like.

3. NO use of the red cross arm band.

4. NO use of two canteens on the belt....thats a later trait of US Vietnam medics....thanks Cookie for correcting me on that .....

thats all that pops into my mind right now

as i say, we are open to suggestions for photo ops.....

"Doc"

[cookie]

As medics didn't wear red crosses on their field uniforms they are oftne very hard to spot. It appears that they didn't carry any specialist bags or pouches. I know that the US WWII variety, usually carried in pairs on a shoulder yoke, were used, but often singly and on shoulder straps. Also utilised were Brit P37 small packs, universal ammo pouches, and other adapted pouches and packs of the P37 system. Don't forget also the French Mle 1897 (year?) musette. This was worn slung across the body and was very popular with troops in Indochina.
Later on there were the French TAP and TTA Mle 50 musettes, the Mle 45 Sac Bergam, and the french copy of the US medical pouch, although this last item only really took off in the Algerian war. (it is seen in huge numbers being worn by men of the 3e RPC throughout 1957-58).

Overall I don't think there was a specific pouch. Like most other things it was a case of adapting whatever was at hand for the job.

As for medical supplies, British and US items were very much in widespread use, and also French items as well, more so as the war continued and the French economy and infrastructure improved. Often the French version of the US military items were identical in everything but the printed language on the labels and boxes. The morphine syrette is a prime example. I would say though that French, British and US medical items were used indescriminately by everyone. A medic's bag would probably contain a healthy mix of all three nations items.

For a 3e BCCP impression from 1949-50 I would go for a Brit P37 haversack adapted with a long single shoulder strap. Fill it with US and British WWII bandages and other such things, and go for some French items if the dates are at least 18 months old on the labels (this being the average length of time taken for items to end up in Indochina).

[soldatsoucy1]

excellent Cookie....

I think somewhere in our gear we have the British haversack and can use that. Ive got a good mix of British and American medical supply so that will do well.

We will keep everyone posted.