DON & SUGAR PACKS

The Don (Dressing) and Sugar (Surgical) packs were a standardised webbing rucksack, containing medical supplies, and were developed for use by the Airborne Forces. They were pre-dated in 1942 by the "Surgical Haversack, Airborne". More can be found out about the early haversack HERE .

The Don pack contained anaesthetics, drugs, serum, dressings, tins of tea, milk and sugar powder, cubes of meat extract, cigarettes, soap and candles, and was designed to contain sufficient supplies for twenty patients.

The Sugar pack consisted of anaesthetics, drugs, bandages, gauze, swabs and plaster of paris. This pack was designed to contain supplies for ten surgical cases.

Above: A pair of original Don and Sugar packs in the groups collection.

Above: Contents of a Don Pack.

Above: Contents of a Sugar Pack.

Above: The Don Pack open, showing its contents.

The following photos show Don & Sugar packs recreated from original photographs.

Above: Front flap open, showing lacing.

Above: The Don Pack open, showing reproduction contents.

Above: The Sugar Pack open, showing reproduction contents.

Contents of the Dressing Pack

5 x Grams Tubonic Morphia
40 x Tablets Acraflavine
25 x Tablets Phenobarbitone
250 x Tablets Sulphanilamide
50 x Tablets Mepacrine
1 x Tube Lysol
1 x 3-Inch Wide Roll Elastoplast
8 x 6-Yard Packets Gauze
1 x Cramer Wire 8 x 60 cm
1 x Tin Safety Pins (20 in Tin)
10 x Doses Anti-Tetanus Toxin
1 x Spare Battery
20 x Form A.F. 3118 and 3118A
1 x Cube Meat Extract
50 x Cigarettes
4 x Packets Compressed Triangular Bandages (2 in Packet)
1 x 4 Ounce Tube Paraffin Molle
40 x Tablets Aspirin
25 x Tablets Creta cum ope
50 x Tablets Sulphathiazole
50 x Tablets Magnesium Sulphate
36 x 3-Inch Wide Compressed Bandage
1 x 3-Inch Wide Zinc Oxide Plaster
1 x  Pound Packet Wool
1 x Cramer Wire 10 x 100 cm
1 x Lead Pencil
1 x Soap Tablet
4 x Ounces Crushed Sulphanilamide
12 x Tins Tea, Milk and Sugar Powder
4 x Candles
1 x Box Matches
1 x Bottle Anti-Gas Gangrene Serum
1 x Webbing Pack                          

Contents of the Surgical Pack

1 x Tubes Lysol                              
1 x Tin 4-Inch Wide Plaster of Paris
1 x Bottle Novutox                          
1 x Tin 6-Inch Wide Plaster of Paris
1 x Gauze (6 Yard Packet)               
6 x 2-Ounce Packets Compressed Wool
6 x 4-Inch Wide Bandages              
16 x 3-Inch Wide Compressed Bandages
1 x Roll Flannelette                        
1 x 3-Inch Wide Roll Elastoplast
1 x Tin of Safety Pins (20 in Tin)     
1 x Jaconet 18 Inches by 19 Inches
6 x 1 -Yard Tins Vaseline Gauze       
1 x Yard Cord Extension
2 x Soap Tablets                             
12 x Ampoules Pentothal Sodium
2 x 2-Ounce Tubes Chloroform       
2 x Ounces Sulphanilamide Powder
1 x Pair Operating Gloves               
1 x Packet Bard-Parker, Size 22 Blades
1 x Cramer Wire 8 x 60 cm             
1 x Cramer Wire 10 x 100 cm
100 x Sterile Swabs                       
1 x Box Opiodene
1 x 3-Inch Roll Zinc Oxide Plaster   
1 x Packet Compressed Triangular Bandages (2 in Packet)
1 x Webbing Pack