Forgotten Heroes
The Australian Waler horse
by Jill Mather

This book should have universal appeal to those interested in military history, as the Australian Waler horse was used in India, South Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the U.K. It covered the Indian and Sudan uprisings, the Boer War, WWI and WWII.

There was a special bond between the soldier and his horse: the two were one; dependant on each other. Forgotten Heroes is a record of how and why that bond developed. The book details with clarity the origins of the Waler as a breed and also its development and acceptance as a military horse, both in Australia and abroad. Not only did the horses carry the mounted soldiers, but they also pulled the guns and were used to haul supplies and ambulances. The amount of fodder and water required for daily consumption alone is staggering. Yet without the horse logistical support to the mounted divisions of the desert campaign would have been non-existent. As with all things military a use-by date is eventually reached and so it was with the horse. The author examines the declining role of the Waler in modern warfare and how, despite a brief reprieve in World War II, it was no longer considered to be of any real military value.