From Pit Ponies to Elephants: Animals of Britain’s WWI Home Front
During World War I, the British home front experienced the extensive requisitioning of animals to support the war effort. This practice significantly impacted both rural and urban communities, leading to innovative and sometimes surprising solutions to compensate for the loss of these essential creatures. While the military commandeered a range of animals for service, other animals remained behind to support the civilian infrastructure. One intriguing story from British History involves Sheffield’s use of Lizzie the elephant and other exotic animals for haulage. My historical fiction novel, Roseleigh, also reflects this history.
Requisitioning Animals for the War Effort
With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, British Army operations faced an urgent need for animals. They requisitioned horses and mules in vast numbers for cavalry, artillery, and logistics roles. These animals were indispensable for transporting troops, ammunition, and supplies across the rugged and often impassable terrain of the Western Front. The British took approximately one million horses from farms and cities. This significantly reduced the availability of these animals for agricultural and industrial work at home.
UK history shows the military also enlisted dogs for various roles, including message delivery, guard duties, and search and rescue missions. Pigeons played an extensive role in carrying messages, offering a reliable communication method after the destruction of telegraph lines. Camels and donkeys played a crucial role in specific theaters of war, such as the Middle East and Africa.
Pit Ponies in the Mines
Back home, one of the most significant uses of animals was in the coal mines. Pit ponies, small horses or ponies used underground, played a crucial role in the mining industry, hauling coal from the depths of the earth to the surface. With many horses requisitioned for the war, the demand for pit ponies increased. These ponies worked in harsh conditions, often spending their entire lives underground. Despite the challenging environment, they ensured a steady supply of coal, essential for powering factories, railways, and ships.
Animals Remaining on the Home Front
Animals on the home front adapted to new roles created by the absence of their commandeered counterparts. The reduction in the horse population, for example, forced farmers and industrialists to seek alternative means of power and transportation. They replaced horses with tractors and motor vehicles in some areas, but in other cases, they found more unusual solutions.
Sheffield and Lizzie the Elephant
One remarkable example of adaptation on the home front took place in Sheffield, an industrial city in South Yorkshire. The city’s numerous steelworks and factories required a steady supply of raw materials and fuel to maintain production. The absence of horses during this period of UK history posed a significant challenge to these industries, prompting them to seek innovative solutions.
Enter Lizzie the elephant. Originally part of a traveling circus, Lizzie found a new role in Sheffield. In 1916, Thomas Ward Ltd., a local scrap metal and steel company, hired her to transport heavy loads of metal and machinery across the city. Lizzie’s strength and endurance made her an ideal replacement for horses in military service.
Lizzie quickly became a familiar sight on the streets of Sheffield, where she pulled carts loaded with scrap metal, steel beams, and other heavy materials. Her work was not only a practical solution but also a morale booster for residents, proud of their city’s ingenuity. Lizzie’s presence highlighted the community’s resourcefulness and determination to support the war effort despite significant challenges.
Lizzie makes her cameo in Roseleigh’s historical fiction as well:
The sharp smell of explosives combined with grease and the rotten-egg scent of sulfur permeated the danger zone. The racket of machines, hammering, and people shouting over the din carried on the breeze. Coming around a low brick building into a courtyard, Millie stopped in her tracks, ears back, body flat to the ground, hackles raised. She let out a low growl, which was answered first with a low rumbling noise, then puffing, and then trumpeting.
“Whoa. Watch thyself, shells coming through.” A man was leading an elephant who dragged a flat cart filled with empty shells along the tracks.
Donnacha scooped up his frightened pal and approached the man. “What’s Lizzie doing here? Usually I see her carrying scrap metal in town.”
“A horse has an abscess, and vet put it to stables a few days,” the man replied. “Mr. Stevens asked Mr. Ward — he has Lizzie’s lease from Sedgwick’s Menagerie — as he could rent her for a week. She’s strong as three horses and a lot more agreeable than a camel.” The man shook his head, making clear he did not relish reliving the experience, and led Lizzie on.
Exotic Animals in Haulage
Lizzie was not the only exotic animal pressed into service during WWI. Various parts of the country used other animals, such as camels and even llamas, in similar capacities. People repurposed these animals from circuses and zoos to fill the void left by the requisitioned horses and mules. Their use underscores the extent to which communities went to maintain productivity and support the war effort.
The Legacy of Animal Requisitioning
The requisitioning of animals during World War I had a profound and lasting impact on British history. The drastic reduction in the horse population accelerated the adoption of mechanized vehicles in agriculture and industry. This paved the way for modern farming and transportation methods. The use of dogs, pigeons, and other animals in military roles also demonstrated the versatility and value of animals in various capacities, influencing future military and civilian practices.
In Sheffield, Lizzie the elephant remains a symbol of the city’s resilience and adaptability during the war. A song was even written about her (see YouTube link below). Her story is a testament to the innovative solutions that communities across the UK employed to overcome the challenges posed by the requisitioning of animals. Today, people remember Lizzie not only for her contributions to Sheffield’s effort but also as a beloved figure in British history.
Conclusion
The requisitioning of animals from the home front during World War I was a critical aspect of the British war effort. It significantly affected both rural and urban communities. While the military sent many animals to the front lines, those that remained behind adapted to new roles, exemplified by the story of Lizzie the elephant in Sheffield Lizzie’s work in the steelworks highlighted the community’s resourcefulness and determination, leaving a lasting legacy of resilience and innovation. The experiences of these animals and the people who relied on them provide a unique and poignant perspective on the broader impacts of this period of British history on society.
Which types of animals or which roles on the front lines or the home front surprised you most? I look forward to hearing from you in the comments.
If you’re interested in finding out more about Lizzie’s appearance in my historical fiction work, Roseleigh, join my mailing list to receive updates.
Notes & References
Jack De Graaf, “Lizzie the Elephant, Sheffield’s WWI Industrial Mascot,” The Fact Site, November 13, 2023.
Steve Birks, “lizzie,” YouTube.
Alan Taylor, “World War I in Photos: Animals at War,” The Atlantic, April 27, 2014.
