4th Cavalry Disposal of Horses

[Talesofaseadog]

Looking through WO-95-1135-1-_4 War Diary on page 107 they mention disposal of horses on 11th Feb 1919 by auction.

The item reads "First sale by Auction of "Z" horses of Brigade held at Tilff. Horses realised a good price."

 

This is to help me with a book I am writing.

 

I am guessing that they were disposing of horses that would not be taken back to the UK when the Brigade finally returned home from their winter quarters in Belgium.

Has anyone come across a categorisation system for horse disposal?

Thank you

Tony

Edited 30 December , 2020 by Talesofaseadog
Added book

[Steven Broomfield]

Lumley's history of the 11th Hussars has it:

 

Horses were examined by a veterinary board and classified (the figures in parentheses are those for the 11th)

 

A:  Young and Sound (107)

B: Older (9-12) but Sound (206)

C: Unsound (86)

C-: Unsound (minor ailments) (88)

D: To be Destroyed (14).

 

They were then inspected by a Remount Board and classified for disposal as follows:

 

X: For post-Bellum Army (87)

Y: To be sold in England (112)

Z: to be sold, abroad (288)

 

All horses were markd with their respective letter and were ready for disposal. This occurred in January 1919, shortly before the regiment's return to UK from the Rhine.

 

Out of interest, when you say '4th Cavalry', what do you mean: 4th Cavalry Division, 4th Cavalry Brigade or the Indian regiment with that title? (I assume 'Brigade')

[Talesofaseadog]

2 minutes ago, Steven Broomfield said:

Lumley's history of the 11th Hussars has it:

 

Horses were examined by a veterinary board and classified (the figures in parentheses are those for the 11th)

 

A:  Young and Sound (107)

B: Older (9-12) but Sound (206)

C: Unsound (86)

C-: Unsound (minor ailments) (88)

D: To be Destroyed (14).

 

They were then inspected by a Remount Board and classified for disposal as follows:

 

X: For post-Bellum Army (87)

Y: To be sold in England (112)

Z: to be sold, abroad (288)

 

All horses were markd with their respective letter and were ready for disposal. This occurred in January 1919, shortly before the regiment's return to UK from the Rhine.

 

Out of interest, when you say '4th Cavalry', what do you mean: 4th Cavalry Division, 4th Cavalry Brigade or the Indian regiment with that title? (I assume 'Brigade')

Just what I am looking for, thank you.

The horse I am writing about is with J Battery RHA who were mostly with 4th Cavalry Brigade.

It is a fiction but I like to base the story around as much reality as I can.

Tony

[Steven Broomfield]

If it's of any interest as added colour, the History of the Oxfordshire Hussars has the text of an address given to the 4th Cavalry Brigade by Sir John French following the fighting at Ypres in June, 1915.

[Talesofaseadog]

1 hour ago, Steven Broomfield said:

If it's of any interest as added colour, the History of the Oxfordshire Hussars has the text of an address given to the 4th Cavalry Brigade by Sir John French following the fighting at Ypres in June, 1915.

Can you let me have the ISBN please, there are a few books on this subject.

Thanks Tony

[Talesofaseadog]

33 minutes ago, Talesofaseadog said:

Can you let me have the ISBN please, there are a few books on this subject.

Thanks Tony

Just done another search and found the book.

Need to save up now.

Tony

[Steven Broomfield]

Trouble is, these were published a good few years before ISBN was thought of!

 

Another which you might find of interest is Willcox's History of the 3rd Hussars (also in 4th Cav Bde); it contains the text of General Pitman's Farewell to the 2nd Cavalry Division, plus useful background information.

 

Sadly, I think the 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers), who were the other regiment in the Brigade, produced no Great War history.

 

Oxfordshire Hussars history reprint HERE