A Donkey and Horse are remembered on the Somme . . .

The location was the Australian War Animal Memorial Organisation’s Le Mémorial des Animaux, Le Parc du Moulin, Pozières, France and under a beautiful blue sky over 200 guests were gathered. It is the most poignant of places.  In 1916 it was here and under very different skies that thousands of men from the armed services, together with the animals that worked alongside them, bravely encountered horrendous conditions.

Silhouette of a horse funded by War Horse Memorial Organisation CIC [Credit S.Booth]

A gentle breeze blew across the Somme as guests saw the unveiling of stunning

silhouettes of a donkey and a horse and took part in a ceremony of rededication.  The donkey was unveiled by Pam Moon, National Chair of the Donkey Breed Society, Patrick Dean, representing Donkey Breed Society Life Vice President, Rosemary Clarke and Olwen Brown of the Donkey Breed Society’s Northern Region.

The horse by Susan Osborne founder member of The War Horse Memorial Organisation and Roy Palmer, a Chelsea Pensioner.

Donkeys, horses, therapy and rescue dogs and pigeons took part in the Ceremony; animals having played vital roles in the war: horses, mules, and donkeys transported ammunition and supplies under fire, while dogs and pigeons carried messages.

Silhouette of a donkey funded by Donkey Breed Society (NR) [Credit S.Booth]

The latest additions to the Memorial have been funded by members of the charity The Donkey Breed Society (Northern Region), The War Horse Memorial CIC and AWAMO -  the Australian War Animal Memorial Organisation. Together with unwavering support from the Association Moulin Coeur de Patrimoine Pozières and Association Digger-Cote 160 they came together, remembered and honoured the service and sacrifice of millions of animals who lost their lives on the Somme in World War One.

Guest of Honour was Catherine Carnell of the Australian Sir John Monash Centre. 

The event was also attended by distinguished military and civilian guests from

Australia, France and the UK including Captain Harry Grantham RHA and his wife

Captain Harry Grantham RHA and Squadron Leader Helen Grantham, Representatives of The Worshipful Company of Farriers [Credit Sandra Taylor]

Squadron Leader Helen Grantham, as representatives of The Worshipful Company of Farriers.

The Mayor of Pozieres, Mr Pascal Chalier kindly hosted a Reception after the event. 

Chelsea Pensioner and poet Roy Palmer (87) read his exceptionally moving poetry

to those gathered; reminding us of the hellish conditions experienced by soldiers and

animals alike. Olwen Brown from the DBS Northern Region presented Mike Lee,

President of the Association Moulin Coeur de Patrimoine Pozières, who heralds from

Australia, with a knitted representation of Simpson’s donkey.

Those animals that stood sentinel at the ceremony focused the mind during times of

quiet reflection: Association APREAC brought horses, Escap’ ânes brought donkeys

and there were also  therapy and rescue dogs. At the close of the Ceremony, pigeons were released across the Somme, wheeling over the site before heading to the historical town of Albert.

Members of the Museum of The Queen's Royal Hussars with Chelsea Pensioner Roy Palmer and partner [Credit Sandra Taylor]

The Battle of Pozières was one of the bloodiest and accounted for the loss of thousands of men, including those from the British 3rd and 4th Armies.  It was however Australians that were most involved in the taking of Pozieres, suffering 23,000 casualties.  Of their almost 7,000 dead, more than 4,130 were never found and still lay in surrounding fields.  The battle lasted 41 days with victory to the allied troops.

The donkey and horse can be seen from the road and all the fundraising undertaken by the charities, the pennies that people have kindly placed in donation boxes, have accumulated in an everlasting memorial to all equines and indeed to all animals that

served.

Susan Osborne, WHMO, Sarah Booth, DBS, Mike Lee AMCdPP and dog, Woody [Credit D.Davenne]

The Donkey Breed Society’s Northern Region and The War Horse Memorial

Organisation would like to thank everyone who has helped them in their quest to

install their donkey on the Somme for their support.

We are also very grateful to Sandra Taylor, for some of the marvellous pictures she took. Please go look at some of her other wonderful work, which you can find at: About Remember The Fallen | Lest We Forget The War Dead

S.Booth 16.9.26