Real War Horses remembered at Kimpton Blue Cross

With the release of Steven Spielberg's new Hollywood blockbuster War Horse this weekend, animal charity The Blue Cross is remembering the real horses who fought and died in the First World War.

The charity, which has an animal rehoming centre in Kimpton, near Hitchin, gained its name from its vital work helping horses and other animals who were sick or injured during the war.

Formerly known as Our Dumb Friends League, the charity launched a 'Blue Cross Fund' in 1912 which raised money all over the world to help animals in both world wars. During the Great War, it provided animal hospitals, ambulances and veterinary supplies to the front lines, marked with a blue cross to distinguish them from red cross facilities for injured men.

To tie in with the War Horse film release, the charity has launched a free, online archive to share its rich history with the public for the first time. Packed full of photographs, artefacts and audio-visual materials, The Blue Cross War Horse collection gives a rare insight into conditions on the battlefields and the strong bond between soldiers and their horses.

Steve Goody, director of external affairs at The Blue Cross, said: "We are immensely proud of The Blue Cross's history helping the brave animals of war, which gave us our name today. As a tribute to all the real-life war horses, we decided to open up our archives to share some of the amazing stories and pictures of these extraordinary animals, as well as the people who went beyond the call of duty to help them."

During the First World War, over 50,000 horses and 10,000 dogs were treated by The Blue Cross in France alone, and veterinary chests containing vital drugs and other comforts were sent to over 3,500 units of the British army, as well as our allies.

And after the war, when many of our war heroes were sold off cheaply abroad, the charity joined the campaign to save them - working with Mrs Dorothy Brooke to buy back and rescue over 4,000 old war horses and mules in Belgium and across the world. View the War Horse Archive here.

While there is no longer a demand for The Blue Cross to help animals in war, the Kimpton base takes in hundreds of unwanted and abandoned dogs, cats and rabbits every year, funded entirely by public donations. The charity also continues its tradition of helping horses in need through its equine rehoming centres in Oxfordshire and Staffordshire.

To find out more or make a donation, please visit their website, phone 0300 777 1490 or drop into the centre on Kimpton Bottom, Kimpton, Herts, SG4 8EU.

Steve Goody added: "Anyone who has been inspired by the plight of war horses - whether in books, stage or screen – should take a moment to visit our website and learn more about these poor animals who were plucked from their homes and sent into a living hell. With the help of the British public, The Blue Cross did all we could to ease their suffering, and today we still need your help to care for horses and pets in need."