Page 7 - Chiron Calling Autumn/Winter 2022

DATR Green Plaque Award
The Green plaque award is a unique countywide scheme which is public led, inviting local residents and other people interested in the county to nominate people and places they think are worthy of commemoration.
The Leader of Leicestershire County Council initiated
the Green Plaque
Awards to unite
communities to recognise and celebrate the county’s rich cultural and historical heritage.
The first
Leicestershire
County Council
Green Plaque
was unveiled in 2014.
Since then, there have
been a further 29 unveiled across
the county. Some of those honoured have achieved national recognition, such as military hero Tommy Brown, campaigner for women’s rights Lady Florence Dixie, and others like Ann Ayre Hely and William Cotton.
The Military Stables at the Defence Animal Training Regiment (DATR) were a popular choice with the public and, as a result, were
among the six people
and places to be chosen in the
latest round to receive their own prestigious Green
in full swing, the Army employed over 368,000 horses on the Western Front. The large majority of these were draught or pack horses rather than cavalry horses. The Army’s Remount Department spent £67.5
million (about £3 billion in today’s money) purchasing, training and delivering horses and
mules to the Front. During WWI, horses played a key role in helping the British forces on the front line; pulling artillery guns, transporting wounded soldiers to field hospitals, pulling felled logs to line the trenches, and bringing food and other supplies to the soldiers.
The Plaque in honour of DATR’s Stables was unveiled on Thursday 25th August 2022. The Awards were hosted by the Chairman of the County Council Dr Kevin Feltham, and invited guests to include the Vice-Lord Lieutenant, the Mayor of Melton Borough Council and the Honorary Aldermen of the County Council. The Commanding Officer of the DATR, Lt Col M
R Robinson RAVC, graciously accepted the Plaque and highlighted the importance of such a historical building and its significance over the years.
Leicestershire County Council – Military Stables – Key Local Dignitaries and DATR personnel present at the unveiling
Plaque. The
stables have
been part of the
DATR for well
over a century
and have played
a vital role in
the training and caring for DATR’s horses. Military Working Horses proved their worth, especially during WWI. By 1917, with the war
Military Working Horses proved their worth, especially during WWI
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