21.10.2026 10:33
Municipal officer İbrahim Uysal (46) in Antalya found a military stretcher bearing a 1915 stamp among the garbage. After 3.5 months of research, the stretcher, reported to be original, was registered and donated to the war museum in Çanakkale. Uysal, who said he received suggestions from those around him to sell the stretcher at auction, said, 'I entrusted the object I found to history.'
In Antalya, municipal officer İbrahim Uysal (46) found a military stretcher among the garbage, bearing a 1915 stamp. After 3.5 months of research, the historic stretcher was registered and donated to the war museum in Çanakkale. Uysal, who noted that he received suggestions from those around him to sell the stretcher at auctions, said, "I did not do anything very big from my own perspective. I entrusted that object I found to history."
İbrahim Uysal, who works as a municipal officer at Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, noticed the military stretcher, which drew attention with its worn wooden arms, torn canvas fabric and the 1915 stamp on it, when he went to throw away garbage, upon his neighbor's warning. Thinking it might have historical value, Uysal contacted the Çanakkale Battles Gallipoli Historical Site Presidency and sent photos and videos of the stretcher to the authorities. In the preliminary examination, the historical artifact, which was determined to resemble the military stretchers used during the First World War, was taken to Çanakkale. The stretcher, whose stains are expected to be investigated as to whether they are blood traces, took its place in the war museum and was registered.
AFTER A 3.5-MONTH PROCESS, IT TURNED OUT TO BE ORIGINAL
Stating that he encountered the stretcher when he went out to throw garbage in the morning, İbrahim Uysal said, "At that moment, our neighbor said, 'İbrahim abi, there is an object over there, can you take a look?' It was a military stretcher in a folded form. Later, when I examined it in detail, I saw that it bore the date 1915. This stamp was present on both wooden parts. Then I contacted the Çanakkale Battles Gallipoli Historical Site Presidency. I took videos of the stretcher. I sent all the information and visual materials to them. At the end of a 3.5-month process, I was informed that this military stretcher was original."
THE ONLY SIMILAR ONE IN THE WORLD IS IN ENGLAND
Drawing attention to the fact that the stretcher is an important historical finding, Uysal said, "As a result of research conducted in war museums around the world, it was stated that one similar example is in England, and the other is now with us. I took on a duty to gift and donate this work to history. We still think there are blood traces on it. It was said that these would be investigated in the coming period. Perhaps it is the blood of a martyr. It was like a gift to the younger generations who will learn history after us."
HE DID NOT LISTEN TO AUCTION OFFERS
Also stating that he received reactions from those around him while holding talks for the century-old stretcher to reach Çanakkale, Uysal said, "I received many meaningless responses such as 'Let's sell it and make use of it, it is very valuable, let it enter auctions, let's put it up for auction.' The place where a historical artifact should be entrusted is the Çanakkale War Museum. If it bears the date 1915, if it is a stretcher, and if there may be the blood of a martyr on it, the only place it should be is a war museum. We are the descendants of a nation that fought against seven powers. We come from those ancestors. The stretcher could only belong there. I did not do anything very big from my own perspective. I entrusted that object I found to history."
HE WILL SEE THE STRETCHER HE DONATED IN ÇANAKKALE ON MARCH 18
Stating that he will go to Çanakkale on March 18 and see the stretcher in place, İbrahim Uysal said, "After the officials of the Historical Site Presidency took the stretcher over from me, they said that a special brass plaque bearing the statement 'Donated to our museum by İbrahim Uysal' would be prepared in the war museum. They made a very nice surprise for me. They said they would host me and my wife on March 18, Çanakkale Martyrs' Commemoration Day, and show us around the historical site. I am very happy in this sense."