HEDJAZ HORSEMEN.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 247, 17 October 1919, Page 7

HEDJAZ HORSEMEN.

After the New Zealand Brigade had finished its work in Palestine die veterinary staff went over all horses and classified them according to age and fitness. All over twelve years were destroyed, which was the kindest thing to do," as it eneured that these faithful chargers would never fall into unkind hands. About 600 horp-s were disposed of in this manner. Two hundred were sold to the army of the King of the Hedjaz. These Arab warriors were not exactly fitted to become honorary vicepresidente of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animate, but the British Army -was under obligations to them, and had to supply them with remounts. His Majesty had a wild crew in the ranks, their acme of martial bliss being to ride into a captured town at hill gallop firing off their rifles in the air. Life in the ranks must have been somewhat of a gamble. A famous prince who made a picturesque tour of Great Britain and France during the latter part of the -war, was very fascinated with the machine-gun when he commanded a part of his father's -motley following, and had one of them placed in the doorway of hie tent. He used to let off a "buret" occasionally, and anything in the line of fire stood a poor chance. MARVEL OF THE OUTFIT. The remainder of the brigade horees were sold to the British Government for the astonishing figure of £G5 each, and it is presumed that most of them would go to France, where there was a great shortage after the war. Some horses bearing the army brand—burned m on the near fore and hind hoofe—were seen in "gharries" in Egypt, but from, information given to the "Star" dt i≤ likely that they were not New Zealand horses. There is no doubt that the horse wae_the maTvel of the campaign in the East. Wonderful as the men were, they could not have performed the feats they did if it had not been for the horsee. Short of water, short of feed, carrying an average of over seventeen stone when packs were up, they took the men through country thnt before this war was thought impossible, and enabled the Turk to be surprised time after time. 'Those fellows with the slouch hats, on big horees, with the white feed-bags" were not loved by "Jacko." The horsee at times during "stunts" -went ■without ■water for over thirty-Bix hours, and did wonders on a few handfuls of very poor feed—barley, peas, beane, millet, and Tinirutritious native chaff called tibbin. An interesting instance of how animals can change their habits -was seen during the campaign. They -were invariably ■watered in canvas troughs owing to the difficulty in getting suitable wateringplaces, "and when the troops did comeacross running water the horses were quite puzzled. They would try and follow the water do-wn etrea-m, and could not make it out at all. They even got used to tlie dry, dusty tLWiin, and once or twice -when real chaff was issued they didn't take to it at all kindly. People in the Dominion will, no doubt, readily understand that the troopers were just as anxious ac anybody that the horses should not fall into the hands of the nativee, but they weTC, of couree, helpless. In a fe-w caees men were allowed to purchase their mounts for sentimental reasons, and several New Zealandere who owned horses that ■were trained for the army race meetings that -were held in Palestine and Egypt after -the aTmisti«e did buy them out. These horsee were cold to officers in the British Army, and were subsequently shipped to the Old Country. T"iis -was, of course, impossible to the men in the ranke, although there "was not one but who -would have liked to be aible to do something for the animal that had sei .'°d him co well. Sonne of the horses had lietrn right throxigh all the "stiunU" from the days of the Main Body, and it is easy to realise the attachment that existed between the man and his fourfooted friend in such cases. No man •who knew what the horses went through in the Jordan Valley last summer, tied to i!he line all day 'without a scrap of shelter, with the thermometer at anything up to 120 •degreee in ike shade (if such a. thing could be found) could part with 'his mount without wishing- that its latter dare could be spent where the grass ■was green, the -work was ligfht, and people >were Innnan.