News stories
Redwings reveals war horse history
With Michael Morpurgo’s book War Horse now a highly successful theatre production and Hollywood blockbuster, Redwings has released records of 43 horses who served in the Great War and found sanctuary at the charity’s Ada Cole Memorial Stables.
The stables were formed in memory of the late Ada Cole in 1932 to provide sanctuary and care to horses in need. The organisation, which was originally based in South Mimms, would travel to Belgian horse markets to rescue suffering horses – some of who were used in the front line of World War One.
Redwings merged with Ada Cole Memorial Stables, who are now based in Harlow, in 2005 and early ledgers kept safe by Visitor Centre Manager Debbie Johnston have revealed some fascinating details of these noble steeds’ history.
Among the roll of honour is Golden Boy who is listed in the ledger as ‘an old charger who went through the last war – he has number 7360 on his neck and a mark on his near shoulder. Aged. Blaze. 15.3hh. Went all thro’ war’.
The list includes also includes Turpin, a grey whose duty was ‘heavy artillery in war’, Robin ‘an old war horse, being blind in left eye’, ‘stone deaf’ Warrior, along with other thought-provoking names such as Standfast, Brigadier, ‘Blind’ Bess, Soldier and Captain – listed as an ‘Ex Army Charger’.
Redwings made numerous calls to the National Archive, The Household Cavalry and the Guards Regimental Museum in an effort to discover more details. However, there appear to be very few surviving military records of World War One horses outside of the Household Cavalry. Indeed, the National Archive revealed that ‘only one in three records survived from the Great War’.
Following the decision to release details from the ledger, Debbie spoke of her pride in preserving some of the charity’s early history. She said: “To see the details in the old ledger gives me a warm glow. It fills me with pride to know what our work did all those years ago. One of Ada Cole’s famous quotes was ‘I want my work to go on and on’ and the charity continues to fulfil that vision.”
World War One was the last great conflict to use horses as a fundamental part of combat. When the war started in 1914, the British Army possessed just 25,000 horses. To get the required numbers, around 20,000 horses, ponies, donkeys and mules were shipped every month from the USA, New Zealand, India, Spain and South Africa between 1914 and 1917.
It is estimated that the total loss of horses, donkeys and mules on all sides was over seven million.
It is heartening to know that a number, however small, found the safety and sanctuary wholly deserved and owed to them.
Redwings currently provides sanctuary to 1200 horses, ponies and donkeys, with a further 500 in Guardian ownership. You can visit the Redwings Ada Cole centre in Harlow, find out more here...
