A very good example of the much sought after WW1 British Infantry Stretcher Bearer’s Armband.
In WW1 for British and Commonwealth troops there were two types of Stretcher Bearers. These were either the Stretcher Bearers from the Royal Army Medical Corps who ferried the wounded to the rear First Aid Posts following a battle, or the Infantry Stretcher Bearers who would find the wounded during the battle itself.
Army Medical Corps Stretcher Bearers wore the commonly seen Red Cross Armband. Battle Infantry Stretcher Bearers however wore the iconic “SB” Armband shown here, this an unmistakable feature of so many photos from the great attacks of WW1.
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Though a classic WW1 battle item the WW1 “SB” Armband is considerably illusive today. WW2 examples whilst similar differ in a number of key aspects, most notably the armband’s width and attachment method.
This WW1 Infantry Stretcher’s Bearer’s Armband is the first I have encountered and it is in lovely condition, having just the right amount of service wear but no faults.
An iconic WW1 battle item.
