![]() ![]() Over 1 million horses and mules were used by the British Army during World War 1.In one day during the Battle of Verdun more than 7000 horses were killed.They were also bought from British citizens. In order to satisfy the need for horses, Britain purchased horses from Australia, Argentina, the US and Canada.Many died of starvation, disease and exhaustion and many othersdied as a result of artillery fire. The conditions faced by the horses used in World War 1 were very harsh.Their value, from a purely economic and strategic stand point, outweighed the value of a soldier. As the war went on, horses became more and more difficult to replace.Horses were more commonly used for logistical support – they were able to move well through mud and rough ground to carry messages, pull supply wagons, and move medical staff and the wounded and artillery.The armies of the Ottoman Empire included cavalry throughout the war, as did the British Army, particularly in the Middle East. ![]() On the Western Front, cavalry forces weren’t used extensively for very long after the fighting started, but they were used for longer on the Eastern Front.The days of the cavalry charge were over! However, as the war progressed, it became clear that horses were incredibly vulnerable to machine guns and artillery fire. At the start of World War 1 horses were mainly used in cavalry units.Here are some facts about how horses were used in WW1. ![]()
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