Hastings: Placard placed in Civic Square begins raising cash for war horse statue

Kahungunu chairman Ngahiwi Tomoana blessing the Dolly the war horse placard and the ground where the bronze statue will be placed. Photo / Warren Buckland

After the rediscovery of Hawke's Bay's very own war horse, locals are pushing for more to be done in remembrance of the many animals that had served in the wars.

Out of the 10,000 horses that left for World War I, only four returned to New Zealand and Hawke's Bay was home to two of the four.

The best remembered, Dolly the war horse, came home with highly decorated Major General Sir Andrew Russell, known as "The General", of Tunanui Station. Dolly retired to the farm until she died in 1932.

In 2015 The General was memorialised by a life-size bronze statue in the Hastings Civic Square.

After doing some research on a old picture of a war horse from World War I, posted on Facebook, Hawke's Bay man Selwyn Hawthorne rallied some fundraisers and created the Dolly The War Horse Trust, launching a campaign for Dolly to be memorialised.

The group is also trying to bring awareness to Purple Poppy Day which is commemorated on February 24 every year, as a way to honour and remember the animals that served during wartime.

Hawthorne said it had been a race to the finish line to get everything approved in time, with the IRD number only approved on the morning of the campaign launch.

Tom Lowry, grandson of Major General Sir Andrew Russell surprised everyone by showing up to the fundraising launch for his grandfather's war horse statue. Photo / Warren Buckland

On that afternoon Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst was a guest at the launch, which included a surprise visitor Hawthorn was not expecting.

Tom Lowry, grandson of Major General Sir Andrew Russell, showed up, to the delight of the group as he had told Hawthorne he wouldn't be able to make it.

Kahungunu chairman Ngahiwi Tomoana began the unveiling ceremony with a karakia and blessing of the placard as well as the ground where the trust will place the Dolly statue.

While Anzac soldiers are remembered and celebrated on Anzac Day and Armistice Day, their horses have had no recognition other than one statue, Te Utu, in Hamilton.

The four trustees Ian Emmerson, Selwyn Hawthorne, Sam Russell and David Holmes believe that a memorial for New Zealand's service horses is "long overdue" and "now it is time to right that wrong."

Selwyn Hawthorne, instigator of the Dolly the War Horse Trust and leading push behind the Dolly remembrance statue as well as the revival of Purple Poppy Day. Photo / Warren Buckland</note>

Dolly The War Horse Trust's end goal is to fundraise in the community to contract a sculptor to design and construct a bronze life-sized replica of Dolly The War Horse to be exhibited near the statue of Major General Russell in Civic Square Hastings.

While speaking at the placard unveiling, Hawthorne announced that in addition to creating a bronze life-sized replica of Dolly the War Horse, the trust will fund opportunities for physically, mentally and socially disadvantaged children to participate in equestrian activities that would improve their wellbeing.

The trust has approached ex-New Zealand Defence Force official artist Matt Gauldie to estimate the cost pf a commissioned statue.

Based on his experience with the Te Utu project, a realistic war worse that he sculpted in bronze for the Waikato Combined Equestrian Group in 2017 Gauldie has quoted a "ball park figure" of $400,000 for a 2021/22 project.

The newest addition to Hastings Civic Square, is a bright purple placard of remembrance to animals that served in the war. Photo / Warren Buckland

Hawthorne explained that with the help from the community the trust expects to unveil Dolly on Purple Poppy Day 2024.

Any surplus money the trust makes will go to Riding For The Disabled and the Leg-up Trust services.

"We implore your financial support of this great project that is in memory of the 10,000 horses who didn't get back to New Zealand," Hawthorne said.

The Dolly The War Horse Trust now has charities services status and has IRD approval for tax exemption to contributors to the trust.

Those who wish to donate can do so by visiting www.dollythewarhorse.co.nz.

A heavy toll

Ten thousand war horses left New Zealand to carry troops and supplies into battle in World War I. Only four returned.

Many New Zealanders have heard of Bess, brought back to New Zealand after the end of World War I to live out her days in Bulls where she gave birth to four foals and served as a riding horse before dying in 1934.

Bess' grave is marked with a memorial cairn and on Anzac Day a service is held, attended by horses, riders and representatives of the family who owned Bess.

Less well-known are the three other horses returned - including two who were repatriated to Hawke's Bay and are reputed to be buried at the Russell family property, Tuna Nui, at Sherenden.

All four horses that made it home belonged to officers: Beauty to the late Captain Richard Riddiford, Bess to Captain Charles Powles, Dolly to Major General Sir Andrew Russell, and Digger to the late Lieutenant Colonel George King, who was killed at Passchendaele.

The initiative to bring home the four horses came from Major General Sir Andrew Russell.
Beauty, Bess and Dolly, had left the country with the main body of the NZEF in 1914.

King's horse had left in 1915 or 1916. The four horses arrived back in New Zealand in July 1920.
Lieutenant Colonel King's daughter Nancy died aged 100, remembered being at King's Wharf in Wellington to see the horses arrive off the passenger freighter, the SS Westmeath.

The trip had been traumatic. Fire had broken out in the hold when the ship was six days out from Panama, destroying all the horses' feed and many of the soldiers' possessions.

The soldiers fed their bread rations to the animals to keep them alive until they reached New Zealand.

Bess and Beauty headed off to Bulls and Feilding, while Dolly and Digger were transported to Tuna Nui.

The General had been Lieutenant Colonel King's commanding officer. He took on the role of helping to educate the late Lieutenant Colonel's children and Nancy remembered visits to Tuna Nui, where she delighted in riding her late father's war horse.

While rumour has it that the two war horses were buried under a tree at Tuna Nui, the exact whereabouts is now a mystery.