The incredible story of a real-life ‘War Horse’ that rode back and forth between the trenches a hundred years ago has been uncovered for the first time.
The horse – named The Sikh – dodged shellfire and grenades as it delivered supplies to bloodied and battered troops during the First World War. She rode back and forth between France and Flander’s trenches and during Balkan battles with her devoted master Lieutenant A.C. Vicary of the Gloucestershire Regiment.
Her extraordinary journey from Britain to the front line and her survival and trip home – in which she WALKED back from Russia – has now been unearthed by a war museum.
It echoes the plot of War Horse, the Michael Morpurgo novel adapted into an award-winning West End play and Steven Spielberg film.
Curators discovered she was a rare equine survivor of the Great War – and spent the rest of her life in Devon just like the hero of Morpurgo’s book.
The Sikh – who became a good luck Omen with British troops – arrived at the front line with Vicary and the regiment’s Second Battalion in Ypres.
But when the war ended in 1918, she was all the way in Southern Russia – and had to walk all the way back to England.
Chris Chatterton, curator of the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum, unearthed the incredible story recently and is calling for a statue to honour the horse. He said: “I was reading a book about The Glosters and I came across a mention of The Sikh.
“I did some more digging and it really is a remarkable story. She was viewed by many men in the Battalion as an Omen of good luck.
“A statue to honour The Sikh would be great. We will certainly be doing something at the museum to commemorate her.”
The Sikh was one of the million horses sent to the Western Front during the First World War.
