Australian Army Museum of Western Australia > Records

Mannequin Display - Stretcher Bearer, Western Front, 1916

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Overview

Mannequin depicting a battalion stretcher bearer on Western Front, 1917. Display includes original World War 1 equipment including stretcher, carrying strap, Stretcher bearer (SB) armband and first aid pouch. Stretcher bearers normally wore leather leggings instead of puttees.

Historical information

One of the most hazardous medical jobs was that of stretcher-bearers and field ambulance workers, who were often the first to see the wounded and to carry them to treatment. Frequently in the French battlefields, this would involve long and dangerous journeys on foot, carrying the wounded through mud and gunfire. Many stretcher-bearers and medical personnel recalled that the worst part of the work in collecting the wounded was hearing them cry out for their family, especially mothers, which brought home to them how young most of the soldiers were. In addition to collecting and treating their own wounded, In times of war, stretcher-bearers may in certain situations be covered by Art. 25 of the First (Geneva) Convention of 1949 under the category of auxiliary medical personnel

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-32-54-348

Contextual Information

At the Australian Army Museum of Western Australia, the story of stretcher bearers and the medical evacuation chain is presented in a series 0f exhibits in the World War 1 Gallery.

Links to additional resources

SB Armband

Poster - Medical Evacuation Chain

Catalogue - Medical Evacuation Chain

Stretcher Bearer Canteen and Cup

Australian Army Museum of Western Australia

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