Does Anyone Know About Stretchers?

[Spitace41]

Hi all. I have been trying to do some research on this stretcher. I suspect it is military, however I have not seen another like it so I am open to correction. There are no markings on it. It is made of thin wooden slats covered in canvas. At both ends there is a sturdy looking metal ring which to me suggests that it was designed to be lowered by rope (perhaps from a ship, or as part of mountain rescue or fire fighters kit?).

As you can see it is obviously designed to take up a minimum amount of space and their are 4 loops on each side for carrying as well as slots for poles to put threaded into.

Any help with this is greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

[robin morley]

Hi James,

We had one very similar to this in the Mountain resue store up here. It was no longer in use having been superceeded by more modern kit. The stretcher could be wrapped tight arounf the casaullty and the wooden inserts kept them immobile.

Robin

[thorne83]

Hi Spitace,

Neil Robertson stretcher?

The Scottish Mountain Heritage Collection Objects Items
2005/207/1 Rescue stretcher, 'Neil Robertson stretcher', canvas / bamboo / rope / metal, used at Munmorah Power Station, Doyalson, New South Wales, Australia, maker and place unknown, c. 1965-1995 - Powerhouse Museum Collection

I bought one of these a number of years ago thinking it was military, but appears not.

Cheers,

Tom

[Spitace41]

Thanks for the info guys. Too bad it does not appear to be military, nevertheless, an interesting piece of kit

[harryamb2]

we had them on our ambulances well in to the 90s.kent ambulance service.

[Ubique]

The only military application I can think of would be ship-to-ship transfer on a rope but don't know for sure.

Oz.

[Spitace41]

I have read that this type were used on ships as they were useful for hoisting casualties up from the lower decks through narrow hatches. Mine does not have any military markings on as I would expect however, so I am sure that it was not used for this purpose.