Warhorse to Horsepower examines how the British Army became increasingly mechanical during the First World War and how cavalry units eventually gave up their horses for tanks during the 1920s and 30s.

In pre-1914 Britain, society was already replacing horse with petrol driven vehicles and some life-size talking horses in the exhibition tell you their stories of this time and their later experiences in the war. Text panels and set-piece scenes provide information on how horses were fed and cared for and the close relationships that developed between soldiers and their horses.

It is often said that tanks replaced horses in the First World War, but they both had important roles and were on the same team. On the Western Front the horse may have struggled in its traditional role as fighting cavalry but the horse in general excelled as a beast of burden – keeping the modern army supplied with food and weapons in the front line.*

In 1928 the 11th Hussars and the 12th Lancers transferred to Armoured Car Companies, making them the first Cavalry Regiments in the British Army to be mechanised. With budget constraints and some continuing opposition to change, it took another decade for the remaining Cavalry Regiments to give up their horses for armoured vehicles. Eventually, by 1939, The Royal Armoured Corps was formed, taking under its banner the Royal Tank Regiment and 18 out of 20 Cavalry Regiments.

*From The Tank Story – guidebook of The Tank Museum

This exhibit is a fiberglass model used to create the bronze statue that now stands in Whitehall Place, London. The London statue was unveiled by the Royal Tank Regiment’’s Colonel in Chief, Her Majesty the Queen, on the 13th of June 2000.

The memorial depicts a Comet Tank Crew and is a permanent tribute to those who have served in the Royal Tank Regiment and its antecedents.*

The bronze figures shown here represent (from left) the Hull Machine Gunner holding a BSA machine gun, Turret Gunner, Commander with binoculars, Loader/Radio Operator and Driver of a Comet Tank.

Comets entered service in 1945, as a 32 ton Cruiser Tank armed with a 77mm gun. They served with the 11th Armoured Division for the last few months of the war in Europe.*

Take these men as your example.
Like them remember
That prosperity can only be for the free,
Who alone have the courage to defend it.

Pericles 490 – 429 B.C.

*from an information board next to the statue

One of the things that Mr C particularly wanted to see was the Tiger Tank Exhibition in Bovington Tank museum. After breakfast we drove to Bovington along leafy lanes in beautiful sunshine. After looking at some of the exhibits it was time for a morning cup of tea.

Unfortunately the small cafe that was nearest to us was for some reason had stopped serving food or drink. We made our way to the new restaurant area where, unexpectedly, Mr C bumped into someone he knew and much to the other person’s surprise. They got chatting and, before we knew it, it was almost time for lunch. We decided to have lunch before before continuing with our museum visit. The museum had changed a lot since our previous visits and was much improved.

After our museum visit we drove to Morton Village to visit St. Nicholas Church and its beautiful glass windows engraved by the late Sir Laurence Whistler. The theme of the windows is light and they are replacements for windows that were destroyed by a German bomb in WWII.

The church is also of interest because the funeral of T E Lawrence took place there. Before returning to the hotel we visited his grave which is located in the graveyard near to the church.

Back in the hotel we chilled out before visiting the hotel bar for an aperitif. We dined in a Thai restaurant where the food was delicious and the service excellent. Comfortably replete, we stepped out further into town, to the George, Sherborne’s oldest pub for a nightcap. It had a lovely atmosphere with gentle music playing in the background.