While the Great War was predominantly a static war of attrition, of which the trench remains the most potent symbol, maintaining the steady flow of ammunition and supplies to the front line and transporting artillery batteries demanded logistical resources on a gigantic scale. With automotive technology still in its infancy, hundreds of thousands of animals, primarily horses and mules, would find themselves ‘enlisted for duty’. The cavalry horses intended to chase up breakthroughs in the enemy line, particularly in the early stages of the war, also sustained heavy casualties.
