The dressing is one of the most important first aid components in the battlefield where injuries are the rule. The bandage shown here is dated march of 1942 and was issued to Australian common wealth troops.

The bandage is enclosed in a cloth wrapper with instructions printed in the front. Manufactured by Johnson & Johnson of Sydney.

The printed material in the front reads as follows:

Outer cover. Tear cover open at top between stitches. TO OPEN - liner waterproof cover. Tear apart at the corner indicated by arrow.

Do not handle wound or pad.

The field gear from many countries are currently being reproduced. It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because the quality of the reproductions are improving. The collector must become familiarized with the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing of these medals. Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of the collectible.