Page 26 - Chiron Autumn 2017
P. 26

24 CHIRON CALLING
Department of Manning (Army) (DM(A)) Battle eld Tour to Greece and the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia: The Salonika Campaign (1915-1918)
By Major Kay Hanson
In October 1915 the  rst British troops landed at the Greek port of Salonika (now Thessaloniki) from Gallipoli and France. The British Salonika Force (BSF) was part of an Allied coalition,  ghting alongside French, Greek, Italian, Russian and Serbian forces. British and French colonial troops from the Indian subcontinent, Africa, and Indochina also took part.
Pack animals in general, but mules and horses speci cally, made an invaluable contribution and in too many cases sacri ce during the First World War (WW1) where over 8 million were lost. Indeed, one of the animals depicted it in the ‘Animals in War’ Memorial in Hyde Park is a bronze of a mule under load.
Mention Macedonia in historian circles
changes in food and climate makes them hardier and easier to care for and maintain condition than horses. Pack animals can operate anywhere that a person can travel on foot, but that does not include scrabbling using your hands. As such they are able to move independently under load without the hindrance of a wagon or sled.
So what exactly is a mule and a hinny? For those of you who are not very ‘horsey’, a mule is a cross between a male donkey and a female horse. They are larger than a hinny with the head of a donkey and the body of a horse. Conversely the smaller hinny is a cross between a female donkey and a male horse or stallion. They have the head of a horse and the body of a donkey. Both mules and hinnies are sterile and cannot reproduce.
There were two classes of army mule, light draft and artillery pack mules or ordnance mules. Most selected were an average of 14.2 hands and were  t for transport work at 4 to 6 years old. They could work until they were 18 or 20 years old and would go on into their 40s or 50s. During WW1 substantial procurement of these animals led to increased demand and compromises being made in the quality of animals selected. This was seen mostly in their temperament, con rmation and age.
Here are some interesting facts and  gures about mules and horses used during WW1:
• Yoked in teams of 6 to 8, mules or horses were well utilised to pull  eld guns and Howitzers into position. They were capable of maintaining
Views across to ‘The Devils Eye’ and the Bulgarian Frontline from the 10th (Irish) Division Frontline at Kosturino Ridge.
Two of the three ‘Ms’ of the campaign in Macedonia - ‘Mules and Mountains’. The third M’’ was ‘Mosquitos’ which carried malaria and accounted for more deaths than from battle. There were over 160,000 admissions to hospital in three years, almost equal to the  ghting strength of the force. The health of many men was permanently ruined. This picture taken from an of cial photograph.
Just over a hundred years later, on the morning of Monday 5 June 2017, approximately 20 of cers and Battle eld Study support staff from DM(A) departed for Thessaloniki in Greece. This was the start of Ex SUMMER SARRAIL, a 5-day tour of the Salonika Campaign’s battle elds and cemetery’s. Whilst the  rst evening and most of the second day was focused on Greece, the remainder of the week was spent in the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).
As is customary on studies such as these, each participant was allocated a subject to lead. As the only veterinary of cer in the group, I was asked to the following question:
Mules and Horses were a critical element of the ORBAT. “How were they used and what lessons have we learned that are being used in today’s operations?”
On the fourth day, deep inside Macedonia, a 2 hour hike up Grande Couronné took us to the Bulgarian Bunker appropriately named by the British as ‘The Devil’s Eye’ due to its uninhibited views of the surrounding terrain. It was here that I was fortunate enough to deliver the answer to my particular question. And in so doing, an insight into war without mechanisation, reliant on the animals which de ne us as a Corps.
and those who are familiar with the con ict will think of the 3 M’s - Mules, Mountains and Mosquitoes. Through this article I will cover two of those three subjects. In the context of Mountainous Operations, I will give an overview of the roles of mules and horses during the Salonica Campaign. I will also describe why these animals proved so vital in the success of the operation and how their management and welfare in uenced how we manage animals during contemporary operations.
In doing this I would also like you to consider the following while you read ‘Are mules an appropriate solution for the British Army of today and into the future?’
Horses have been used in war since ancient Egyptian times for the cavalry, riding and draft. However, with the onset of WW1, the development of trench warfare, machine guns and tanks and the increased utility of artillery, cavalry charges became a thing of the past. Instead, horses became important for logistical support, transporting men,  eld guns, and as ambulances, carrying ordnance, food and medical supplies.
Of all the pack animals, however, the mule was the favourite. Although employed for draft and riding, it was as a pack animal that it came into its own. Their endurance, tolerance to thirst and


































































































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