HORSE IN WARFARE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 December 1939, Page 8

HORSE IN WARFARE

JAPANESE COMMENT. Japan is one country that does not believe the mechanisation of armies has done away with the usefulness of th horse in warfare. A little while back the “Tokyo Gazette.” which is an official Japanese journal, commented as follows: — Many things hitherto unnoticed even by the thinking public have been brought to light, frequently with new emphasis and implications, through experiences undergone on the China and home fronts in connection with the present conflict. The usefulness of the horse in modern warfare is one of the discoveries. In reality, without the services of this dumb, faithful animal. Japanese troops would not have been able to carry out successful daring attacks upon enemy positions, particularly in battle on the rugged steeps and in the narrow passes of the Chinese mountains. Contrary to popular expectations. the increasing mechanisation of the army has by no means diminished the utility of army horses. The present hostilities have certainly established their distinct place in modern warfare.”

It was added that the Japanese Government was taking steps towards the production of military horses on a large scale and proposed to use 7500 stallions for remount service by 1945. It sounds a remarkable number, and may give Australia and New Zealand an opportunity of disposing of many stallions not required for racehorse breeding, and especially in view of many expert opinions regarding the suitability of racing and trotting sires for remount production.