Home>The trails>Reviews

Reviews

War Horse - 2012 Oscar Nomination for Best Picture

By Alastair Kneale, London Manx Society (Yn Cheshaght Manninagh Lunnin)

The release of Steven Spielberg's film 'War Horse', based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo of the same name has met with worldwide acclaim. This follows the stunning theatre success in London and Broadway where it won five Tony's. War Horse has been nominated for Best Picture in the 2012 Academy Awards.

The First World War is the setting for this story of loyalty between a young conscript and his horse. It brings to mind the importance of remembering the men and women who have fought and died in war, but also the brave and vital efforts of the animals that served alongside them. In the First World War, while ten million men perished, the death rate amongst warhorses was proportionately higher with some eight million killed on all sides. Countless mules and donkeys also perished. Only sixty thousand of the one million horses sent from Britain to France returned. Many suffered horrific deaths from wounds, thirst, starvation, disease, exposure and exhaustion. All participants in the War used animals, including Cavalry Units from Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States of America.

During the First World War horses, mules and donkeys were requisitioned from civilians in all parts of the British Isles and Ireland. A member of the London Manx Society recounted the story of a young Manx soldier during that conflict. When at the Front he came across a horse who became very excited when he saw the soldier. The young man recognised the horse as the one taken from his own home farm on the Isle of Man. The horse, even during the heat of battle, recognised him. The fate of the horse is not known. There are moving stories of the many heroic tasks that animals have undertaken in all conflicts and continue to perform. This includes direct battle involvement, saving lives, pulling supplies through mountains and streams, sniffing for bombs, delivering mail and messages and who remained loyal friends to soldiers.

The film and theatre productions of 'War Horse' are a fitting reminder of these events. It was with the suffering of animals in war in mind that London Manx Society (Yn Cheshaght Manninagh Lunnin) laid a wreath at the Animals War Memorial in London's Park Lane on Remembrance Day in 2011. The monument sculptured by David Backhouse and unveiled in November 2004, is built of Portland Stone and cast bronze, measuring 58ft wide and 55ft deep. Bronze statues and carved images of the different animals used in twentieth century conflicts are incorporated into the monument.

The London Manx Society wreath had the following dedication in Manx Gaelic and English:

Ayns cooinaghtyn jeh shirveish-chaggee ny beiyn oney ooilley as y surranse oc er nyn son
(In remembrance of the war service of all the innocent animals and their suffering on our behalf)

Cha row reih erbee oc
(They had no choice)

Add your comments