Rushden 'Animals in War' memorial pays tribute to fallen animals with knitted purple Poppy horse for Remembrance
A display depicting a horse covered in purple Poppies has been placed at Rushden War Memorial to commemorate animals that have been lost during war.
Having stood in the town for ten years, the display has been given a ‘a new lease of life’, now adorned with new knitted purple poppies.
The now-refreshed memorial provides a tribute to the animals who served and sacrificed during times of war, as this month’s Remembrance services pay tribute to the people who have been lost in global conflicts.
A Rushden Town Council spokesman said: “This horse is a special remembrance to the eight million, together with all the animals that have served, suffered and died alongside British, Commonwealth and Allied Forces in wars and conflicts of the 20th and 21st Centuries.
“Many thanks to all the ladies who knitted the poppies and the staff at Rushden Town Council who helped create this wonderful horse.”
The horse was created as the result of Rushden town clerk’s visit to the Tower of London poppies in 2014, where the idea came about to cover Hall Park in 8 million purple poppies to represent the number of horses, mules and donkeys that died as a direct result of the First World War.
Though the ambitious project was considered, it ended up being scaled down, and the purple war horse was created.
Over 16 million animals served in the First World War, according to the Imperial War Museums, used for transport, communication and companionship.
Horses, donkeys, mules and camels were used to carried supplies to the front lines, pigeons were used to carry messages, and animals such as dogs, cats and monkeys were often kept as pets.