Medical Accouterments
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M1904 First Aid Dressing Pouch M1904 First Aid Dressing Pouch M1904 First Aid Dressing Pouch
M1904 First Aid Dressing Pouch

Prior to 1904 soldiers would carry a small first aid dressing inside their coat or shirt pocket. With the M1903/ 1904 equipment the first aid dressing was carried in a pouch suspended from the cartridge belt. The first pouch issued by by the Army was the 1904. Note the belt hooks which face forward. Later model pouches would have hooks which faced inward so the pouch would stay secure on the belt. The M1904 pouch was made to hold a smaller field dressing than the brass encases dressing which was fielded in 1906. Thus many pouches were modified by moving the two male snaps up as to accommodate the larger dressing. A larger dressing pouch was fielded in 1907. GWS Collection

M1907 First Aid Dressing Pouch M1907 First Aid Dressing Pouch M1907First Aid Dressing Pouch
M1907 First Aid Dressing Pouch

The M1907 first aid pouch was slightly larger than the M1904 to carry the larger dressing of 1906. Also the belt hanger was improved to by turning in the hooks in to prevent the pouch from falling off the cartridge belt. This pouch is dated 1910, made by the Rock Island Arsenal.


M1911 First Aid Dressing Pouch M1911 First Aid Dressing Pouch M1911 First Aid Dressing Pouch
M1911 First Aid Dressing Pouch

Each doughboy carried a first aid dressing in it's pouch on his cartridge belt or pistol belt. This scarce first aid dressing pouch, dated 1911, manufactured by the Rock Island Arsenal, was part of the original M1910 equipments ensemble. The design and construction was a departure from the earlier M1904 and M1907 dressing pouches, which were more simple in construction and appearance. One feature of the earlier pouches still remained- the wire hanger which passed through two grommets on the back of the pouch. Like most early M1910 equipment items, the M1911 pouch was short lived and a simplified dressing pouch was adopted. That would be the M1910 first aid pouch which reverted back to the pre 1910 design. A note of interest on the M1911 first aid pouch, the USMC would adopt a similar pattern pouch which they would retain through World War II.

M1910 First Aid Dressing Pouch M1910 First Aid Dressing Pouch M1910 First Aid Dressing Pouch
1st Pattern M1910 First Aid Dressing Pouch

It should be noted that the M1910 pouch went through several changes from 1911 through 1916. This 1st Pattern M1910 First Aid Pouch is dated 1913, manufactured by the Rock Island Arsenal. The pouch still has the hanger passing through two grommets on the back, and glove snaps. In 1914 the grommets would be replaced a web tab sewn to the back of the pouch. Glove snaps would remain til 1915.

M1910 First Aid Dressing Pouch M1910 First Aid Dressing Pouch M1910 First Aid Dressing Pouch
3rd Pattern M1910 First Aid Dressing Pouch

In 1915 the M1910 First Aid Pouch underwent further modification by replacing the glove snaps with the Carr fastener. The 3rd pattern first aid pouch would remain unchanged through it's last year of production in 1942.

M1910 First Aid Dressing Pouch M1910 First Aid Dressing Pouch M1910 First Aid Dressing Pouch
Wartime manufactured 3rd Pattern M1910 First Aid Dressing Pouch

The M1910 pouches were made by different manufacturers and mass produced for the First World War from 1917-1918. Wartime manufactured pouches are found in various drab shades, but most often a light khaki. This is a typical pouch made by The M-H Co. dated 7-1918.

First Aid Dressings M1910 First Aid Pouches
First Aid Dressings

The two individual first aid dressings sealed in a brass tin, were manufactured by Bauer and Black with a contract date of Nov 1916 on the left and contract date of Aug 1918 on the right. Contrary to popular belief, the Army did not decide to package dressings in a brass container to prevent contamination by gas. This design predates the First World War and gas warfare. It began service in the Army prior to 1910 and can be encountered with 1907 contract dates. Carl Panak Collection

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