BACKGROUND: Each Division in the German Army of WWII had Divisional Support units which included a medical unit that normally consisted of two companies, a mobile field hospital and two ambulance platoons. Within these medical units EM’s and Junior NCO’s with basic medical training acted as medical orderlies or stretcher bearers under the command of Doctors with Officers ranks. The EM/NCO’s acting as medical orderlies and stretcher bearers were each issued with two medical pouches equipped with basic medical supplies to be worn on the load carrying waist belt. Of Note: There were two types of medical pouches for unmounted medical personal marked either, "K" for Kragenträger, (stretcher bearer), or, "S" for Sanitäts, (Medical personnel), and both carried different equipment, as detailed on the interior contents labels. Also there were, "L" and "R" marked pouches for left and right, which again carried different equipment. Also Of Note: The German army also maintained static hospitals in the rear areas for those with more severe wounds and those with the most serious injuries that would require long rehabilitation times would be sent to a hospital in their home military recruiting district within Germany. Generally the German field units preferred to care for their own wounded as much as possible as a convalescents transferred to a rear area static military or home military district hospital could potentially be dispatched to a new unit on their recovery. As a result most of the Divisional medical support units maintained a generous supply of medical equipment and accessories to provide the most favorable "in-house" care as possible.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Thick, molded, light tan leather construction medical pouch for unmounted personnel with a slightly curved reverse, machine stitched seams and steel fittings. The top of the pouch has a fold back lid with a machine stitched, horizontal, leather hinge to the obverse and a vertical leather closure strap, with a single cut-out eyelet, to each side which attached to extended steel studs positioned on each side of the pouch’s body. The reverse of the pouch has two, stitched on, vertical, leather belt loops with stitched on, horizontal, retaining loops. The belt loops also have a single cut-out eyelet and attached to steel studs positioned on the bottom edge of the pouch’s body. The reverse of the pouch also has a central, stitched, leather retainer securing a steel "D" ring. The reverse of the pouch is well marked with "K", indicating, Kragenträger, (Stretcher bearer), and a waffen-amt. Maker marked and dated for 1941.