top of page

Only 4 horses returned home

 

Over 10,000 horses left New Zealand to serve in the Great War and only 4 returned home.  These 4 horses were in the Middle East and France and Belgium and were all connected with Major General Sir Andrew Hamilton Russell who was Commander of the ANZACs and who led the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Battalion in Egypt. These 4 horses were :

 

DOLLY  was owned by Major General Russell and on returning from the war was looked after by the Major's sister, Miss Gwendoline Russell, at the Russell family home of Heath House,  Tuanui near Hastings.  Dolly died 1930 of natural causes.

The Major, known as Guy to those close to him, was born 1868 in Napier to a farming family who had strong military ties.  He spent his schooling years in the UK and then attended the renowned Sandhurst Military Academy.  He helped raise the NZ Volunteer Force, commanded the Wellington Mounted Rifles Battalion and commanded the ANZACs.  He died at home in 1960 aged 92 leaving his widow Gertrude and 4 children.

 

BESS   was born and bred in Masterton.  After the war she was ridden by her master in the Victory Parade in Berlin before being shipped to Britain and then returned to NZ on the "SS Westmeath" 1920.   Her breeder took her back for a while and entered her for show jumping.  From here she went to Trentham and then Rangitike where a family friend of the Powels'  bred Bess with a Welsh pony stallion, resulting in one foal and she also had 3 foals to a racing stallion.  Bess died suddenly of a brain haemorrhage on 29 Oct 1934 and was buried on the spot at Forest Road, Bulls.  

Bess was owned by Col Powles who was a farmer before the war at the family home of Flock House near Bulls.  He died in 1951.  He liked photography but sadly there was a fire on the homeward bound ship which not only destroyed photos but also horse feed - so the men fed the horses their bread.

 

BEAUTY  was returned home to NZ after the war, with her owner paying for her passage before he died.  Beauty was returned to NZ to end her days with her owner's sister  - Mrs Levin of  Westella near Fielding.  Mrs Levin rode Beauty for 4 years until rheumatism took effect and Beauty was put down in 1924 and buried at Westella.

Her owner, Capt Richard (Dick) Riddiford of the Otago Mounted Rifles, was a sheep farmer before the war.  He was awarded the Military Cross for his services - held positions of Second Lieutenant, Captain and Aide-de-Camp to Gen Russell.  He died in London of pneumonia and was buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey UK.

 

NIGGER  was an old black horse who travelled far with Col King - Middle East, France and Belgium - covering 6 year overseas, and returned to NZ with a shrapnel wound in one hind leg leaving a scar.  Nigger was known for chewing his master's tunic at the left elbow whilst being held, and in fact did this to the fur coat of his master's widow when she met Nigger at the dock on return to NZ.  General Russell offered to look after Nigger and with Dolly, both horses went to the Russell family home near Hastings where they lived until about 1930 when old age and rheumatism needed them being put to sleep. 

 

George Augustus King was born Christchurch 1885, educated at Christ's College, was a surveyor then worked on the family sheep farm in the Nelson area.  Always interested in military, he became a professional soldier 1910.  At Gallipoli he was promoted to Major when commanding the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment.  Wounded Aug 1915 at Hill 60 and awarded the Distinguished Service Order. Recovered and Feb 1916 commanded the NZ Pioneer Battalion which included men from the Otago Mounted Rifles, the Maori contingents and Pacific Islanders.  Next the Western Front and the Battle of Somme where trenches were constructed with one being 2 km long.  Under King's leadership, the Battalion's digging exploits gained reputation for quality work and earned the nickname 'Diggers' -later extended to NZ Division and Australian Division.  Jan 1918 a Bar was added to his Distinguished Service Order. Belgium 1917 Battle of Messines, Major King was awarded the Croix de Guerre and appointed Commander of the 1st Battalion Canterbury Infantry Regiment. He was the highest ranked New Zealander killed in the Battle of Passchendale 1917, aged 32 years and his funeral held at Ypres in Belgium. 1910 the Colonel married Annie and Sir Russell assisted her with the education of her 2 children Edward and Nancy.  He was Mentioned in despatches 5 times.

Memorial to Bess

 

Bess poses with trooper Mckenzie for the ANZAC Memorial sculptors after both had returned to New Zealand after the war. Trooper Clutha McKenzie had been blinded during an action on Gallipoli and Bess was the only horse to return home that departed with the Main Body - both were selected to represent the New Zealand ANZAC's on the famed memorial.

From The Auckland Weekly News 14/10/1915 
Trooper McKenzie, Clutha. The son of NZ’s High Commissioner, he is now in the NZ Hospital at Walton on Thames. He went through a very bad time. He was struck by a shell on the morning of August 9. It was the shell which killed his commanding officer, Colonel MALONE. From the first, Tpr Mackenzie felt that his sight was destroyed but he made a terrible effort to prevent himself losing consciousness and crept on his hands and knees away from the scene.

Photo:  www.awm.gov.au

bottom of page