At the beginning of the Great War in 1914, when this photograph was taken, the British Army owned 25,000 horses and only eighty motor vehicles. The number of horses was considered too small and during the next two weeks (!) a further 165,000 were "recruited" from Britain. Most were used for transporting supplies, but the best were for the cavalry and when in action had to carry over 20 stone in weight (280 lbs or 127 kg.). The horses, sometimes fed only on sawdust cake, were always hungry, and often seen trying to eat wagon wheels. By 1917 the British Army were employing over 530,000 horses and 230,000 (mostly American) mules. Perhaps half a million of their horses were killed in the course of the war, but over three million men ....

Click on the fine farmhouse in the centre background to see a modern photograph of it.