Donkeys and mules during wartime

At the beginning of the First World War, the British Army owned just 25,000 horses. Nowhere near the number they would require on the front line, they purchased/conscripted another 165,000. Sadly, the horses did not fare well: hundreds of thousands died within a few weeks.

Both at home and at war, donkeys and mules were called upon to pick up the shortfall. Given the sheer number of horses transported to the front line, donkeys picked up the slack on farms all over Great Britain.

At battle, the British turned to the mule in order to carry out the work of warhorses that had died. By the end of the First World War, the British Army owned around 250,000 mules.

Using mules in place of horses was not an even swap for troops; a lack of understanding of the mules' temperament, and their need for patience and trust, caused problems for both mules and soldiers in the early days. The word "muleteer" arose from the bond and newfound understanding of a mule's temperament.

Mules soon became revered for their physical and mental strength in the most testing of conditions. Respect for mules was paramount when working with them, giving rise to a war-time saying: "The men that began to work with mules either began to work with patience or trust, or they ended up in the field hospital."

Mules carried food, weaponry, and other much-needed supplies on the front line. If frightened, a mule will rarely bolt or panic like a horse; they will more likely study the situation before responding. It became common knowledge that if you wanted your cargo to be safe, then the best place to have it was on the back of a mule.

Perhaps one of the most important things that mules gave their soldiers was companionship. They were a friend who didn’t answer back, didn’t judge, and listened to many a desperate tale. 

Mule facts:

1. There are just under 10 million mules in the world, and the majority of these are working.
2. The reverse combination of parents, a male horse and a female donkey, is called a Hinny.
3. Due to an odd number of chromosomes, mules are infertile.
4. Mules were used in WW1 to carry artillery, food supplies and even wounded soldiers on the battlefield.
5. Due to increased need, mules were bought from Argentina, Uruguay and Southern States of the USA. Half of Britain’s WW1 mules were imported.
6. They arrived via gruelling sea voyages lasting weeks at a time, arriving in Bristol and moving on to Minehead for recuperation and training.
7. Like horses, mules can’t vomit, which made these journeys even harder, with many mules lost on the journeys.
8. In some developing countries, owning a mule can be a family’s main source of income, doing manual work like carrying bricks, building materials, food and water.
9. Mules can live up to 50 years, with an average lifespan of 30-40 years. 

Source.

A U.S. soldier and his horse wearing their gas masks.

Horses: Source.

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