Wreath to remember war deaths of Derbyshire animals

The death of thousands of Derbyshire animals during conflict is being formally remembered for the first time at an Armistice Day ceremony.

A councillor will lay a wreath of purple poppies - the symbol for Armed Forces service animals - at a service at County Hall on 11 November.

It's thought that about 28,000 horses from Derbyshire took part in World War One.

The wreath of 28 poppies will be hand knitted by volunteers.

Leader of the Liberal Democrats for Derbyshire County Council, Councillor Ed Fordham, will lay the wreath accompanied by his rescue husky, Sparky.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Thousands of horses were conscripted from the farms of Derbyshire and from the Chatsworth Estate.  

"It is thought that in World War One this was as high as 28,000 horses from Derbyshire alone - and not one of them came back.

"My wreath and all of the wreaths we will lay across the county will stand as a tribute to the horses, mules, elephants, dogs, pigeons and canaries who worked in wars but also to the monkeys, bears, lions and more besides who served as regimental mascots."

In 2018 a request by an animal lover to lay the wreath was rejected by Chesterfield Borough Council.

Commenting on this year's remembrance service, a spokesman for Chesterfield Borough Council said: "Our Remembrance Sunday service honours the men and women from Chesterfield who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War One and all subsequent conflicts.

"Many residents and organisations choose to lay a wreath of their choosing after the official ceremony, this includes white poppies, purple poppies and red poppies or a mix."

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