The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-09-18
THE HORSE IN WAR.
Bits of His Life Portrayed by a Blue
Cross Worker.

Cross Worker.
Early in the retreat from Mons a shell
crashed right into the midst of the Sec
tion with which | was moving. Our gun
was wrecked and the driver in front
was blown to bits. As | mounted fresh
| horse I turned and saw my two other
horses struggling and kicking on the
ground to free themselves, but was UNI
able to 90 back and help them. My feel
ings were indescribable. A French chas-
seur dashed up and cut the traces, and
although their driver was a long way
off, the horses galloped after him, and
/ followed him for four days. They were
not needed, but they kept their places
in the line like trained soldiers.
After every engagement at the front
riderless horses are always rounded up
and brought in. Often they are found
near their dead masters, or following
other riders. 1t was one of the Cold
stream Guards who told how, after the
fierce fighting at Leos, a horse was seen
standing between the firing lines. For
two whole days he remained there, when
some of our men crawled out and found
he was standing by the side of the dead
body of his rider, the horse himself un-
harmed. 1t was with difficulty he was
induced to leave the spot, and only by
blindfolding him could he be persuaded
to leave his dead master and return to
the British lines
During the many visits | have paid to
the hospitals at the front / heard sew
eral remarkable stories of the faithful
ness, sagacity, and tenacity of our army
horses.
ssMany of Them" said an officer to
sbax Il
display greA aversion to 90 near or
Ipass any point where they have been
frightened or injured very striking
| instance of this came under my per-
| sonal observation just before our great
| offensive at -.--. Being in want of a
! fresh mount, | had acquired one from 3
brother officer who was returning t.
England suffering from shell shock. Fl,
assured me that | could have no better
= charger on which to ride forward whei
= we advanced. As strong and brave a
Is a lion, yet as mild and obedient as
a lamb when answering the reins, an alb
If solutely trustworthy steed, were tn
V, owner S words as we concluded our ban
,e gain. And truth to tell, | found moth
"a ing to complain of in the behavior o
"a that mare until one afternoon when rid
~ ing out of the ruined village of -
in Flanders, i came to a long road wher
y but a short time before, there had bee
beautiful avenue of poplars, now mel
h stumps.
be | had no sooner got half way dow
lie than my horse stood stock still, bega
at to trembIe all over, and, with difatt
10 nostrils. refused to 90 a step turtle
until ! had applied the spurs. | put tn
incident down to sudden caprice. an
forgiving her, dismissed it from N
: mind But when the same thing ha
~ pened again few days later | made
ne mental note of the fact, and as soon
at | got back from the reconnoissan
m wrote to my friend. His reply solve
er the mystery. Poor Dolly! had
idea that she also was suffering fro
IN shell shock" he said in substanC
,1v But she's really not as bad az her 0
master The fact of the matter is,
was on that very avenue, near the v
lage of . that the she'll fell whj
oW led to my return to Blghty. She e'
IDENTIFY remembers il as kcenly as | {
But take her anywhere else than thel
and l think you viii find she will l
cd have like a thoroughbred lady."-C. J
10 Forward blue Cross worker in vi
"a World Magazine.