World War 1: World War 1: World War 1:

An Animal HistoryAn Animal HistoryAn Animal History Assoc. Professor Sandra SwartAssoc. Professor Sandra SwartAssoc. Professor Sandra Swart

Department of Historical Studies,

University of Stellenbosch

Tuesday 19 May 2015

18.00-19.00

LT3, Kramer Building, Middle Campus

R80 (full fee); R40 (staff); R20 (reduced)*

W ar’s tragedy is

n o t o n l y

hu ma n . In

counting the

Great War’s cost, historians

should factor in the non-human

animal. Eight million horses,

mules and donkeys, over a

million dogs and an unknown

number of pigeons died on both

sides. Horses served in several

dramatic military mêlées and

throughout transported supplies

to the front. This lecture

contextualises the historical use

of animals in war. It asks

whether they should they be

remembered for “bravery” along

with other soldiers. We debate

whether we are celebrating

animal heroism or victimhood?

The lecture explores the

specifics of animal use on both

sides, with particular focus on

pre-war reforms in the British

system actually largely precipitat-

ed by the equine holocaust of

the Anglo-Boer (South African)

War, 1899-1902. It looks at the

social history of animal

deployment by the military, by

discussing the close rapport

between the men and their

horses. We explore the changes

in the cavalry system and

reforms brought in post-war.

These were not enough to

prevent the mass slaughter of

animals in the Great War and we

explore the reasons for the high

mortality and the heart-breaking

denouement of war, when some

of the surviving horses were

sold as meat to Belgian butchers.

* As a partially self-funding entity, we are obliged to charge a small fee for extension lectures. These are fixed at Summer School rates.

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021 650 2888 / ems@uct.ac.za www.summerschool.uct.ac.za