AN exhibition to pay tribute to the contribution animals made during the First World War will be held at Cafe Fresh art gallery in Middleton-in-Teesdale.
The free exhibition, which has been put together by Jane Addison, will feature original charcoal drawings by equine artist Jane Wills, of Butterknowle. It takes place from Thursday, November 1, until Monday, November 12.
Ms Wills has created the drawings specifically for the exhibition and has tried to highlight the many roles horses played during the war.
The charcoal drawings give off an evocative air and show the plight the horses had to endure. Mrs Addison, who has been researching the role animals played in the war effort with the help of the Fitzhugh Library, said: “The horses that were sent to the war and were injured, about 80 per cent of them were sent back to the front.”
She added the role horses played in the war hadn’t been really spoken about until the Hollywood film War Horse, but she said the reality wasn’t as pretty.
The majority of horses were used for logistical support and were better at pulling artillery, ambulances and supply wagons through deep mud and across the rough terrain than mechanised vehicles.
“And although many horses were injured and killed by bombs, bullets and gas, the largest percentage which perished was down to starvation. Mrs Addison said: “When they ran out of feed for the horses they fed them sawdust and, well, they just starved.
“But it wasn’t just horses that were used. There were dogs, pigeons, camels and cats.”
Alongside the original charcoal drawings, some of which will be available to buy, there will be a wealth of information on the animals which were used during the four years of war including photographs of some of them in action. Photographs from the Parkin Raine collection, which is held at the Fitzhugh Library in Middleton, have been loaned for the exhibition. Horses at War will be open between 10am and 4pm.
