“Medic servant”

Red cross badges were often worn by sanitary soldiers and civilian personnel during the Great War. The badges were usually enameled and had no special inscription. However, they were produced in a great variety of size and form. A rather large collection can be put up from these. In this post I show a relatively small and simple round red cross badge.

The main feature of the post is however, the sanitary soldier who wore the same badge on his tunic. Although only a private he had surprisingly good literacy, and commented his own photo in a slightly ironic way. He called himself in the heading “medic servant” not simply a medic or aid man. The small badge and wide red cross band on his tunic shows his military profession. Judged by his message he must have liked his position as “medic servant”. He wrote: “Clothing, boots, armband are all nicely presented, all are life true, but the head should be replaced, since the face as is the case with all open air shots is not really cute. Thanks to god, I look much nicer in real life. Though I walked 10 kilometers way for it, the photo was not worth the effort.” He forgot to mention the huge pioneer sword on his side which was not a usual equipment of aid men (pardon, medic servants).