Brave animals who served our nation in conflict recognised on Purple Poppy Day

dailyrecord.co.uk:

The brave animals who served our nation from World War One to the current day have been honoured with their own special ceremony.The ASA Scotland Forces Charity hold the Purple Poppy Campaign on August 23 each year.

The purple poppy is a symbol of remembrance in the United Kingdom for animals that served during wartime.A service was held on in Uphall on Wednesday last week to “pay tribute to the animals who have served our Nation - past, present and future.”ASA Scotland Chairman Councillor Harry Cartmill said: “A special thank you to Depute Lord Lieutenant Allison Kennedy OBE for supporting our Annual event.“This was our third event to raise awareness about the Animals who have served our Nation, and still do today.“Today it is mainly horses, ponies and dogs that serve in the Armed Forces or Police, 100 years ago, millions were sacrificed during WW1, it’s important every year, that the Nation recognises Purple Poppy Day.“Our aim is to create memorials to Animals across the Nation and for schools to include the Purple Poppy within the curriculum in Primary and Secondary education.“We want young and old to join us to campaign for Animals to be remembered each year.Over 16 million animals served in the First World War.

They were used for transport, communication and companionship. In 1914, both sides had large cavalry forces. Horse and camel-mounted troops were used in the desert campaigns throughout the war, but on the Western Front, new weapons like the machine gun made cavalry charges increasingly difficult.However, animals remained a crucial part of the war effort.

Horses, donkeys, mules, and camels carried food, water, ammunition, and medical supplies to men at the front, and dogs and pigeons carried messages.