Horses given own cross for war efforts

GALLANT GALLOPERS: Wairarapa Archive's military historian Neil Frances with a cross for war horses. PHOTO/ANDREW BONALLACK

Masterton's "point of difference" with its Field of Remembrance is a special cross to war horses.

The tricky part was, where to place it in the hierarchy of 304 white crosses, dedicated to the fallen of Gallipoli?

Wairarapa Archive war historian Neil Frances chose a position in front of Lieutenant Norman Cameron, of the Wellington Mounted Rifles.

Ironically, Cameron did not get to use his horse in action. He was killed at Gallipoli on May 30, 1915.

Cameron and Soldiers' Memorial Park in Masterton, now Trust House Memorial Park, is named after him.

Mr Frances said New Zealand sent 10,000 horses overseas, with only a "handful" returning home.

"These horses had been exposed to Middle Eastern animal diseases," he said.

Horses went with the mounted troops, officers and "were also used for artillery, to tow artillery weapons".