The Purple Poppy

While the red poppy is well known around the world as an international symbol of remembrance, the purple poppy is perhaps not as well known. The 24th of February is known as Purple Poppy Day and commemorates the sacrifice of animals which served in war. While some may question the need for a day to commemorate the animals, it is worth remembering that during the Great War and beyond, animals saved a great many human lives; often at the cost of their own. While the purple poppy, established in 2006 by a UK animal charity, is a relatively new feature of remembrance, the tradition of recognising the contributions of animals in the Great War goes back to when it was still being fought.

This section explores not only how the sacrifice of animals has been commemorated, but also the many ways in which animals were used during the conflict.

Horses

The Great War was most certainly ‘horse-powered.’ Even despite the chilling industrialisation of war that took place between 1914 and 1918, horses were an indispensable part of the Great War. The British, despite being the most mechanised force in the conflict, employing tanks, motorcycles, armoured cars and even London buses, still used 368,000 horses on the Western Front in 1917.

Horses served in a variety of roles in many climates during the Great War. From the muck, mire and mud of Passchendaele and the Western Front, to the scorching sands of Sinai, war horses’ hooves left their mark the world over. Despite the organised killing fields of machine guns, barbed wire, and artillery, cavalry charges still occurred on the Western Front. Whereas in the Middle East, serving with units like the New Zealand Mounted Rifles, horses were better suited and helped soldiers traverse the wide expanse of the deserts. Yet, their most important role was in logistics. Moving men and material in all conditions as beasts of burden was the primary use for horses during the war. As such, they were often bogged down in terrible conditions pulling heavy loads such as artillery, weapons they would also fall prey to in untold thousands.

Dogs

Depending on the breed, dogs served many different roles in the Great War. In many ways, dogs were quite well-suited to trench warfare. They could navigate the battlefield swiftly and their excellent senses made them aware of threats. For this reason, it is unsurprising dogs were used for scouting and delivering messages across no man’s land. After a battle had occurred on the Western Front, a lot of men would be left wounded and dying between the lines.

Mercy dogs were trained to find these men and carried medical supplies in their jackets and harnesses, enabling the wounded to treat and potentially save themselves. If they were not so lucky, then at least the dogs gave them some comfort and company before the end. The most famous New Zealand dog during the war is of course, Caesar the ANZAC Dog. Caesar served with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade as its mascot. Trained as a Red Cross or Mercy dog, Caesar was taught how to deliver medical supplies to soldiers in need and even to bring back a piece of their equipment if they were unconscious. During the Battle of the Somme, Caesar’s actions saved many wounded. Tragically, the beloved bulldog was shot by an enemy while he was helping a wounded soldier. Caesar was found next to the man he tried to save, who also died holding his head.

The presence of dogs in general could be a morale boost. They were popular as mascots and especially as ratters to deal with the infestations that were common on the front. Perhaps the most outlandish role for dogs in the Great War was the use of Belgian Mastiffs to pull machine guns for the Belgian Army. One of the most famous war dogs was even made a sergeant in the American Army for his heroic actions: Sergeant Stubby (second picture from left below). Stubby participated in a great many battles, warning his unit of incoming shells or gas and even assisting in the apprehending of a German spy.

Pigeons

Carrier pigeons were without doubt, one of the most important methods of communication during the Great War. These birds were trained to be released on the front and fly back to their coops carrying messages. The pigeon remained among the most reliable means of contacting troops who had no working field telephone, which happened often as the cables connecting them were cut by shelling. Pigeons were sometimes transported in converted London buses and even inside tanks and aircraft.

Unsurprisingly, if the enemy saw a pigeon flying overhead, they would immediately become a priority target. As such, many pigeons that delivered important messages as the enemy were closing in, were killed or injured. Perhaps the most famous pigeon of the war was the saviour of the American's ‘Lost Battalion,’ a bird called Cher Ami (dear friend).

Cher Ami was one of a number of birds the Lost Battalion released while they were stranded in the Argonne Forest and surrounded by the Germans. The American commanders had no idea where the battalion was and had even begun to shell their own men. There was no way a runner could escape to deliver a message and thus the pigeons were the only means of contact. The Lost Battalion sent up a few pigeons carrying messages to tell their commanders where they were and to stop the artillery barrage. All of them were shot, most of them were killed but Cher Ami, despite grave wounds, made it through and delivered the message. The flight of one pigeon saved 194 lives.

These images show how pigeons’ messages were written on the battlefield, an example of a message attached to a pigeon and a pigeon wounded by enemy fire.

Finally, while it does not appear they were ever used in this way during the war, experiments from before the war saw cameras attached to pigeons for use in aerial photography. This mirrors somewhat how drones are used in modern warfare.

Donkeys, Camels, Mascots and other Animals used during the war

A great many other animals took part in the war and served in myriad ways. First, among the more obvious examples, donkeys were used especially at Gallipoli, to ferry wounded soldiers down from the steep hillsides for treatment. Richard Alexander Henderson was the most famous New Zealander to use his donkey to help the wounded in this manner. Even if originally, he was misidentified as John Simpson Kirkpatrick in the famous portrait by soldier and artist from Hamilton, Sapper Moore-Jones. Kirkpatrick, born in Durham England and serving in the Australian Imperial Force, however, also donkeys to save the lives of wounded soldiers.

Camels were also well suited to the desert conditions of the war during the Sinai campaign. A Camel Corps was raised to employ the use of these hardy beasts in transporting troops across the great stretches of the arid Middle Eastern Front.

Cats and other more exotic animals, such as the koalas and kangaroos pictured, were also popular as mascots. Mascots were animal representatives of military units and were generally important for creating a sense of belonging and raising spirits among the men. Finally, perhaps the most outlandish use of animals during the war was when elephants were taken from zoos and used to pull wagons and move heavy loads. This was likely for the most part, a propaganda move to show how even exotic animals from zoos were doing their part for the war effort. Though, elephants are still effectively used in agricultural roles in Asia, so perhaps those sprung from the Berlin zoo were contributed well in their public displays.

Remembering the sacrifice of animals during the war

Just as there are memorials to honour the humans who died during the Great War, there are similar sites dedicated to the animals which fell in the conflict. In New Zealand, Hamilton’s war horse memorial represents both the service of the Waikato Mounted Rifles and the horses they rode. Waiouru also features a memorial dedicated to the war animals. There is also a memorial to a New Zealand war horse, Bess, in the town of Bulls that was erected by the officer who cared for her during the war, Captain Charles Guy Powles.

London’s Hyde Park hosts perhaps the most impressive memorial to war animals. It is this impressive stone monument which features the thought-provoking words used on the banner for this page: ‘They had no choice.’

Gallantry medals for Animals

The idea of gallantry awards for animals was established during the Second World War with the British Dickin Medal. This award was initiated by Maria Dickin, an animal welfare pioneer. Previously, commendations such as giving animals or special collars or jackets were how troops honoured animals that had helped save them. The Dickin Medal continues to be awarded to animals involved in conflict with the most recent examples being presented to animals used during the War in Afghanistan. In 2014, it was dedicated to all the animals of the First World War.

Additional Resources:

Children’s books about New Zealand animals at war: