The opening page of the album given to CPT - Dr. Michel for his 34th birthday from the men of the 2nd company, 13th Medical Replacement Training Battalion, Manteuffel Kaserne, 1941.
A selection of images showing the Kaserne area. No individual photos were captioned, the album was divided into sections showing training, parades and barracks life.
Trainees eating and marching from the mess hall. In comparison with the first album, there were no images of the troops living in the motor shops, however, several images showed the men in formation in front of those buildings
Top, changing of the Kaserne guard, bottom, drill on the muddy parade field. Not too much changed once the Americans arrived.
Captain - Doctor Michel at far left, staff members and apparently a small group of trainees marching down the hill from the barracks area. The building that would become the Daley Barracks NCO Club is clearly visible in the background. It seems an odd choice that a medical doctor would be used as both the battalion surgeon and a company commander but this appears to be the case. A further additional duty may have been to do the medical screening of inductees at the draft office also located at the barracks.
Left and right, the chance to talk and in center, troops marching. Much of the album followed the basic training of soldiers with very little related to medic specific training.
Top, officers of the training battalion, bottom, more troops marching.
Low crawl!!
A representative image from a series of dog training photos. The German Army training manual for medics does not discuss the use of dogs, war art images depict them as carrying part of the field medic kit. Actual war photos indicate that dogs were not used in this capacity. Perhaps the images show a hobby of the Kaserne staff that interested Dr. Michel.
From a series of images showing the trainees putting up a medical tent, the only medic related training captured in the album. This varies greatly from the images captured in the first medic album, clearly the program of instruction evolved during the war years or, specific companies trained personnel for specific medical skills. If Dr. Michel's troops were training to be field medics, there was no need to send them to a hospital for clinical training.
At the rifle range that US forces would use for forty years, CPT Michel observes the training, the soldiers are briefed in the firing trench and the Co tries his hand at a few targets.
" This paperwork is never done?! " CPT - Dr. Michel at work at his desk. Not clear in the scan but visible in the actual photo, the " 13 " pin on his shoulder board, indicating that he is assigned to the 13th battalion.
From a series of photos of the " Oath Swearing Ceremony " for the recruits, CPT - Dr. Michel. He wears a campaign ribbon and the Iron Cross 2nd Level ribbon, indicative that prior to Bad Kissingen, he saw combat duty in either Poland or France.
Left and right, the band plays on. Center, while the massed recruits observe, three recruits are called forward to swear the traditional oath of allegiance to the Army, their comrades and the German People. Hitler had changed the wording and added allegiance to the Fuhrer as well.
