Aussie Horse Infantry - Only One Came Home

[Black Orchid]

When the first contingent of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) departed Australia’s shores in November 1914, it took with it nearly 15,000 horses among its artillery, infantry and light horse brigades, and various supporting units. Another 121,000 “walers” (the general name applied to Australian horses broad) went with later contingents, or as remounts, before it was decided in January 1917 that no more horses needed to be sent. Only 28,000 of these later departures were destined for AIF units; the remainder had been purchased for the British and Indian governments (mostly the latter).

As soon as the war ended, many Australian light horsemen learnt with dismay that their mounts would not be returned home with them. Lack of shipping and the high cost of transportation, as well as fears about introducing exotic diseases which might threaten the nation’s livestock, meant that those walers serving with AIF units were either to be sold off, transferred to other armies, or – if age and condition did not warrant either of these courses – humanely destroyed. The same policy had applied to the 224 horses sent with the New South Wales contingent to the Sudan in 1885, and the more than 37,000 walers used in the South African War of 1899—1902.

Just one horse out of 136,000 sent away to the First World War was brought back. According to Professor Ernest Scott, author of the volume of the official history dealing with the Australian home front, the sole exception was said to have been “the charger of General Bridges, which followed the gun-carriage at his funeral”.

Full story ... https://www.awm.gov.au/wartime/19/one-came-home

That's more than 150,000 Aussie horses who fought for us and after they were used up were either just destroyed after their service or left behind by the government.

No wonder our government now is just so blasé and uncaring about the aerial culling and suffering of our beloved Brumbies.

They make me sick.

[tllwd]

Similar sad story happened to Australian Army tracker dogs who served in Vietnam.

The fate of Australia’s war dogs, once their service came to an end in Vietnam, caused consternation in Army circles and anguish to their handlers. Unlike their human counterparts, the length of duty for a tracker dog was around three years (at least one year too long, according to many handlers). This made it impossible for the dog to return to Australia when his handler’s tour ended. The main reason for keeping the dogs ‘in country’ was the Army’s reluctance to cover the quarantine costs involved.

https://anzacday.org.au/vietnam-dogs-of-war

BTW, there are "walers" around in Australia as a breed but they are not descendants of horses that went to war.

If you forget your history you lose your country.

[tllwd]

[Black Orchid]

[Bobby]

I'm sure some of them got good homes on farms -

horses were needed on farms and they were important.