Model of Prendergast's horse-drawn military ambulance, England, 1871-1900

Wooden model of Prendergast's horse-drawn ambulance, military, used in Cyprus in late 19th century, English(?)

Transporting wounded men away from the battlefield or between different medical units has long proved difficult for the armed forces. Throughout the 1800s a number of vehicles were developed which were designed specifically for transporting the wounded. In this simple wooden horse-drawn ambulance, wounded men would have sat or been placed on stretchers in the cart and pulled by two or more horses. The journey would have been uncomfortable, especially over rough terrain.

This vehicle was used in Cyprus from the 1870s onwards and is described as ‘Prendergast’s horse drawn ambulance’. This may refer to Sir Harry Prendergast VC (1834-1913), an army officer who served in Cyprus in 1878.