War horses
As we commemorate 100 years since the end of the First World War, Stephanie Bateman looks back on the heroic and indispensable contribution made by millions of horses, donkeys and mules
We pay tribute to the horses, donkeys and mules who lost their lives during World War One
IT’S IMPOSSIBLE to comprehend the hardships and terror witnessed by those involved in WWI. Aside from the millions of men killed in the war, over eight million equines were also lost, three-quarters of them because of the extreme conditions they worked in. Without the horses, the result of the war would have been in jeopardy, so we have a lot to thank them for. Sadly most didn’t make it home.
Never forgotten
The horrors of the war still live on through the recollections passed down by survivors to their families, but one resounding happy memory is the men’s love of the horses who bravely fought by their sides. Jane Holderness-Roddam CBE, Brooke trustee, Olympic gold medallist and British Horse Society vice-president, explains: “My father Lt Colonel Jack Bullen was a horse gunner in the war and, like so many other people who fought, he tried to put it out of his mind and didn’t talk about it much. As part of father’s role, he used to lead his troops through the mud and bogs at the Battle of The Somme and shoot all the horses laid injured on the field. It was only when I didn’t want to have my old pony put down that father told me I owed it to him not to let him suffer. It was then that he told me what he had to do to the horses in
“They pulled tanks, ambulances and fire engines, carried the post and vital supplies, and took people everywhere”
the war and explained that there comes a time when it’s kinder to put animals out of their misery rather than see them suffer. I’ve always been so grateful for that life lesson. He saw all these ghastly things with all these injured animals and horses blown to pieces. It must have been just awful.” Horses were used for a wide variety of roles in the war. “They pulled tanks, ambulances and fire engines, carried the post and vital supplies, and took people everywhere — they were the main means of doing things back then,” says Jane. “When you consider the atrocious conditions they were in, it was only their strength and fortitude that got the supplies and artillery to where they needed to be.” In those days, horses were in abundance because they were still being used for so many things. Cars were only just coming into existence, so the horse was still a standard method of transport and their recruitment into the war was sad but necessary. “Horses were recruited for the war, often against the owner’s wishes, but everything was given for the war effort and a lot of people couldn’t afford to turn down the money,” remembers Jane. “A lot of them were quality horses — the old-fashioned National Hunt-type Thoroughbred, very strong and crossed with Irish horses and heavier animals. They had to have the stamina to pull those gun carriages and the spirit to keep going.” Often, it was the love of the troops’ horses that saw them through hard times. “You’ll often see old war photos of soldiers hugging their horses,” says Jane. “It was the only thing that they could hang onto when their families were so far away. They would talk to their horses and get comfort from them when things were bad. “I was told they tried to bring back most of the officers’ horses, but as far as the others were concerned, they were literally unsaddled and turned loose at the docks in Cairo because the soldiers couldn’t afford to bring them home. It must have been devastating for them to have to leave their friends behind. “Thankfully, there are also some wonderful stories of horses who did come back and were awarded medals for their bravery.” Despite the horrors that Jane’s father witnessed during the war, he still passed on his love of horses to his children. “Father came from quite a horsey family and, after the war, he and my mother Anne, who was a brilliant illustrator and artist, set up the Catherston Stud, which is still going strong today, run by my sister Jennie Loriston-Clarke.
“Father taught us all sorts of things about caring for horses based on the good army training he’d had throughout the war. He always used to sit beautifully on a horse, but most importantly, he taught us to appreciate the wonder of these brave and generous animals who never question. They are such magnificent animals and it’s amazing what they gave and continue to give to us. They are a true friend in every sense of the word.”