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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Stretcher. Great War or WW2?


GWF1967

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A very limited view, but is it possible to date these stretchers from what can be seen?

image.png

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From the bit of research I have been doing recently concerning WW1 stretchers, I would say there is a good chance they are very early ones. It's quite probable there are no date stamps or other markings on them to help - I suspect because of the pressure on companies to get them made. The most telling thing however, which you can see on the LH stretcher are the pair of holes in the canvas. When open, there will be another corresponding pair on the other side and these were there to enable a formed pillow to be roped onto the canvas bed of the stretcher. I've found these do not appear on the later (WW2 versions). I assume the idea had been dropped by then? 


David

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41 minutes ago, GRANVILLE said:

From the bit of research I have been doing recently concerning WW1 stretchers, I would say there is a good chance they are very early ones. It's quite probable there are no date stamps or other markings on them to help - I suspect because of the pressure on companies to get them made. The most telling thing however, which you can see on the LH stretcher are the pair of holes in the canvas. When open, there will be another corresponding pair on the other side and these were there to enable a formed pillow to be roped onto the canvas bed of the stretcher. I've found these do not appear on the later (WW2 versions). I assume the idea had been dropped by then? 


David

Thanks David,

 I'd spent a while squinting at book illustrations and pictures online. It's nice to have a second opinion.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 21 October 2018 at 20:32, GRANVILLE said:

It's quite probable there are no date stamps or other markings on them to help. 


David

Hi David, 

   Thanks again for your advice. 

 Here's another picture of the stretcher. I kept the one on the left and sold the other to pay for it. Both are numbered and broad arrow stamped, the stretcher on the right had replacement straps in a much darker webbing. The right hand one also had a dated manufacturers mark for 1923; I'm awaiting a couple of pictures. 

image.jpeg

image.jpeg

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I'm very impressed. Coincidentally I've just been given a stretcher which was heading for the skip! Whilst mine is exactly the same pattern, I can't find any date or WD stamp on it at a cursory look over and the canvas has seen plenty of wear and tear and may have been replaced at some point.


David

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