A service will be held in Morundah to commemorate the National Remembrance Day for War Animals this Saturday.
The service is set to start at 11 am at the Morundah War Memorial, with the Riverina Lighthorse Group and the Narrandera Pony Club also present on the day.
According to Riverina Lighthorse member Mick Batchelor, Remembrance Day has only recently been commemorated within Australia.
“This is a worldwide day, but it’s not that well known. It has been observed for a long time in Europe, but it’s only been recognised in the last few years in Australia,” she said.
“We originally held it in Wagga, but when we did, there were hardly any attendees, so I suggested to the Lighthorse crew that we should do it in a smaller town, where they would probably appreciate it more.
“I thought Morundah was a good place, so we had a meeting, and they thought it was a good idea too… this year it will be Morundah, but next year we’ll pick a different town in the Riverina.”
Mr. Batchelor will also provide a range of animals and share information on what each animal’s job would have been during the war.
The collection of animals will feature a dog representing the mascot dogs, donkeys symbolising the tale of Simpson and his donkey, and a mule commonly utilised in the Pacific during both wars.
Additionally, there will be two ponies typical of those utilised in Timor, alongside riding horses and a heavy horse sourced from an S Kidman & Co. cattle farm.
The heavy horse, named Deets, is especially of interest as it has direct lineage to the Waler horses that Sir Sidney Kidman, also known as Australia’s Cattle King, supplied thousands of them to the war effort.
Approximately 160,000 horses departed Australia during World War One, with a life expectancy of just six weeks in the harsh conditions and dangers of war. Out of all those horses, only one, known as Sandy, managed to return alive.
The entire ceremony, lasting an hour, will be led by Peter Simpson, who will conduct the Last Post, Rouse, and Ode.
Following that, Mr. Batchelor will proceed to introduce his animals individually, sharing anecdotes about each before the laying of a wreath and the animals receiving a blessing from Chaplain Trevor Murphy.
This article appeared in the Narrandera Argus, 22 February 2024.
