From Dorian de Wind, Military Affairs Columnist The Moderate Voice:
“Death and devastation made it a hell, the awful fires of which have not yet flickered out. So when you go out beyond and survey the duck-board tracks which lead to where our men are bearing the real burden and dangers of war, you think of our war beasts of burden that night after night traverse that foul and shell-torn country amid the loathsome vapours of the guns in performing their share in ‘carrying on.’ Can you wonder that there is a real affection for the horse and mule, and that they are indeed the friends of man at this tremendous crisis?” — Capt. Sidney Galtrey
I have always loved animals, especially dogs.
No wonder there is a special place in my heart for our “Dog Heroes,” those four-legged warriors called Military Working Dogs, a soldier’s best friend, so often the savior of many soldiers’ lives.
There is another very noble and beloved animal that I also admire, one that plays a role in our military, albeit mostly a ceremonial one these days: the magnificent horse.
But even in the 21st century, horses have been used in combat. Most notably, we remember how our Special Forces warriors rode them into combat, and to victory, in Afghanistan against the Taliban after 9/11.