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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Memorials for horses (and their riders)


Guest Devika Raman

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Guest Devika Raman

Hello,

I am doing a documentary for Channel 4 about War Horses. I work for Testimony Films, a company that specializes in social and historical documentaries - we have made several documentaries about World War 1 including What Did You Do In The Great War Daddy (BBC 4), Last Voices of the Great War (History Channel), Britain's Boy Soldiers (Channel 4). Horror on the Home Front (Channel 4), Veterans (BBC1), The Roses of No Man's Land (Channel 4).

Our film about War Horses will highlight the plight of the real war horses throughout the war. We are looking at this from various angles including examining the role of contemporary military horses. During the Great War, a million horses were sent to fight, only 62,000 came back. We are exploring the relationship between horses and their riders and in this respect, we are looking for war memorials for horses used in the cavalry across the country. I have already come across a few, mostly in the North and I was hoping whether anyone could help me with two things.

One is we are looking for horse memorials - anything dedicated to horses that fought in the First World War.

The second is have anyone heard of horses being buried with their riders and if so, could you point me in the direction of the story or the memorial. A story about a ahrose being buried with their rider would add an emotional and poignant touch to our documentary and highlight the strong bond between man and horse that we are trying to portray.

I am also looking for horses that were requisitioned from farms across the country in 1915 and 1916, but have posted that in another forum under the topic name 'Did anyone have horses requisitioned during the war'

I would love to hear back from anyone who might have good stories or photographs or pamphlets or can even point me in the direction of someone else who might.

I can be contacted via phone, email or post

Phone - 0117 925 8589

Email - devika.raman@testimonyfilms.com

Post - Testimony Films, 12 Great George Street, Bristol BS1 5RH

Thank you very much for reading this.

Devika

Researcher,

Testimony Films

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Hi Devika

I appreciate you may only be interested in only UK horses and memorials, but you may be interested in an item on the WFA website regarding a New Zealand horse which was one of only four returned to NZ after the war. You may of course have already seen it. There is of course the memorial in Couin in France to all animals who served in the war.

Good luck with your research anyway, please don't forget all the draught horses who hauled the guns and ammunition and most of the other supplies around the war zone. My grandfather was a gunner in a Divisional Ammunition Column and spent most of his time looking after horses and in particular if there was no ammunition to haul, he seemed to be a professional groom and harness cleaner, according to his diary which is in my possession.

Regards

Richard

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Most horses had no rider. They were the unsung equine heroes that pulled the ambulance, ammunition wagon, delouser, x ray wagon, field kitchen, ration cart etc through mud and dust, fine weather and foul, quiet period and barrage, clean air and gas and had no voice. Do not forget all those mules camels and uncomplaining donkeys either.

post-9885-0-21689000-1322685500.jpeg post-9885-0-47428500-1322685792.jpeg

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Hi Devika,

Welcome to the Forum.

There is quite a lot of information on the(WW1) Wolds Waggoners Memorial at Sledmere, East Yorkshire. Not quite sure if this is the type of information which you are looking for?

Robert

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  • Admin

One is we are looking for horse memorials - anything dedicated to horses that fought in the First World War.

Surprised the 58th (London) Division Memorial at Chipilly has not been mentioned. Although not a memorial to horses there can be little doubt it is an acknowledgement of their suffering and contribution, and the fact the soldiers felt their pain.

There are many images on the web but also on the parent site, where the caption rightly describes it as 'the moving memorial...'

http://www.1914-1918.net/58div.htm

Sculpted by Henri-Desire Gauquie

Ken

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Glad you like it :)

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