THE WAR HORSE TIME CAPSULE OF HONOUR
AREMARKABLE time capsule made from a brass shellcase discovered on the Somme battlefield and containing barbed wire, wood from the trenches and artefacts from the First World War will be buried in the base of the national War Horse Memorial at Ascot.
The shellcase, just over one foot long and three inches in diameter, is an outstanding example of the trench art created by soldiers during brief lulls in the bloody fighting in France and Belgium. It has been decorated with flowers and the French Cross of Lorraine.
Inside the monument, as a permanent memorial to the one million British, Allied and Commonwealth horses that died during the four-year conflict, will be pieces of barbed wire that the cavalry mounts galloped through, causing hideous injuries. The time capsule will also contain gravel from the forest at Compiègne in France where the armistice was signed in November 1918.
Today the War Horse Memorial organisers are offering Daily
:ILJ8DE Express readers the unique opportunity to have small family heirlooms – for example a medal won by a cavalryman relative or a letter home from a mounted soldier – enclosed in the time capsule so their loved ones’ heroic deeds will be honoured when the monument is unveiled in June next year.
The shellcase has been donated by pageantmaster Bruno Peek who for 35 years has organised a host of spectacular and historic international events, including celebrations for the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilees. On December 31, 1999, he handed her a ceremonial torch to light the National Beacon on the River Thames, signalling the start of Britain’s year-long millennium celebrations.
HE WENT on to mastermind the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Summer Party, 60th anniversary events commemorating the end of the Second World War and Trafalgar Weekend. Recent events have included Fly A Flag For Our Armed Forces and the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Party Weekend. Now he has volunteered his expertise to the War Horse Memorial organisers. Bruno says: “The War Horse Memorial will bring visitors from across the world because so many countries were involved in the war. Windsor and Ascot are going to be the places to go in 2018. The organisers asked me for ideas and I suggested we get a selection of battlefield artefacts and put them in the base of the horse. So I bought a solid brass World War One shellcase from the Somme and we are going to put a number of very special items inside it.
“The first item is a piece of wood that was dug up from one of the original trenches when the Belgians were doing roadworks near Wieltje, just north-east of Ypres, in 2014. The wood is more than 100 years old and is amazingly well preserved, probably because it was buried so long in the peat and protected from the air.
“We thought it very appropriate to have both British and German barbed wire because the horses would have galloped through the wire on both combatants’ lines. We all know of the dreadful injuries the horses suffered as a result so we thought it would be poignant to put this into the shellcase. The barbed wire has been donated by the Great War Huts visitors’ centre at Bury St Edmunds. Today we would like to put out a national plea with the help of Daily Express readers for small wartime items that can be put into the time capsule. We’re looking, for example, for a bit from a World War One horse’s bridle or a letter home from a cavalryman.
“Some of these things will be very personal but we feel people will be happy to donate letters and cavalry medals because their treasured mementoes will be buried in the base of the monument for ever. It will be a lovely place to put such a personal item because these artefacts will become almost like a national treasure buried inside a wonderful international monument to horses and their riders.
“What a wonderful story that will be for them to tell to their children and grandchildren down the ages. The artefacts will need to be quite small to fit inside the shellcase, which measures three inches across. We know that many of the riders, both officers and other ranks, carried pistols not rifles with them as they charged into battle. Does anyone have a bullet from one of those? Another item which was used a lot by officers was a whistle to signal when an attack should start. It would be very special if someone had one of those in the attic or in a drawer.
“We know a lot of people will be very interested in helping but I’d hate them to waste their time by sending items that are too big. It’s only pocket-sized items we’re looking for.
“All the items which are donated will be listed on a plaque on the memorial along with the names of the generous donors. And if we receive too many artefacts we will be putting them on show in a museum linked to the memorial.
“Before the time capsule goes
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MAKE the War Horse come to life by donating to the fund.
You can pay money in at any branch of Lloyds Bank – look for the sign of the black horse – quoting The War Horse Memorial CIC, Sort Code 30-65-22, Account Number 78155868.
If you have a PayPal account send your donation to alan@ thewarhorsememorial.org, or donate by cheque made payable to: The War Horse Memorial CIC and send to The War Horse Memorial CIC, Ascentia House, Lyndhurst Road, South Ascot, Berkshire SL5 9ED
For more information go to: thewarhorsememorial.org into the monument there will be a special service in Holy Trinity Garrison Church at Windsor where the shellcase and the artefacts will be carried in on a cushion under great ceremony involving members of the Household Cavalry before being blessed in what will be a moving service attended by many dignitaries. Everyone who donates an artefact will be invited.”
THE church serves the two army barracks of the Household Division and takes huge pride in providing a spiritual home for the Armed Forces. Queen Victoria loved Windsor and commanded the church to be built for her troops garrisoned at Combermere and Victoria Barracks. Nearly all reigning monarchs since 1844 have visited Holy Trinity along with other members of the Royal Family. The most frequent royal visitor in recent years was Prince Harry.
Bruno says: “Because this is a national monument and is not just about England, we are going to invite representatives of the Welsh, Irish and Scots Guards to attend the blessing. The shellcase will then go on public display in the Guildhall at Windsor before the War Horse Memorial is unveiled.”
The £300,000 bronze memorial in Ascot, Berkshire, will stand 8ft 6in high and 13ft wide and sit on a 9ft 9in high Portland stone plinth. The bronze horse has a coil of barbed wire around her feet.
For further information please email Bruno at brunopeek@mac. com attaching a photo of the object or write to him at Pageantmaster’s House, 110 Lowestoft Road, Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk NR31 6NB. Please don’t send any items until you hear from him.