New memorial honours war animals

The memorial, comprising a statue of a dog sitting on a sandstone sculpture, was installed by Redlands RSL and pays tribute to the hundreds of thousands of animals that have served Australia during times of conflict, including horses, camels and donkeys used to transport equipment and soldiers, dogs used in finding injured soldiers, pigeons used in carrying messages and other animals used as mascots.

Horses and carrier pigeons were especially used in vast numbers during World War I and, of the 136,000 horses Australia shipped to front lines during the Great War, only one was returned to home soil.

The dedication ceremony was attended by Army, Navy and Air Force personnel, RSL dignitaries, Federal MP Andrew Laming, members of the Queensland Police Service, members of several Ex-Service organisations, local cadets, and members of the public.

Also in attendance were Australian Defence Force service animals, including bomb detection dogs, security dogs and Army 8/9 RAR mascot Stan the Ram, and their handlers.

Re-enactors and horses representing the Australian Army Veterinary Core and the 11th Light Horse Regiment also attended the ceremony along with a camel, a donkey and a llama.

A flock of homing pigeons was also released and a wreath laying ceremony was held.

In his address, Redlands RSL deputy president Ian Gray said the memorial and dedication ceremony were "to recognise all those animals who also served and supported our service personnel in peace times and in conflict, and who also paid the supreme sacrifice for their handlers and country as well".

Guest speaker and Queensland Police Service dog handler Senior Constable Nigel Allsopp said around eight million animals died in World War I alone, with some estimates almost doubling that number, as statistics from the Soviet Union and the Far East were not included at the time they were compiled.

Snr Const. Allsopp also thanked the many animals that have served in times of conflict and those that lost their lives in action.