Plaque honours NZ war horse

Museum volunteer worker Neil Curgenven viewing the memorial to World War I horse Bess at the site where she died, in 1934, near Bulls. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Bulls Museum volunteer Neil Curgenven with a memorial to local horse Bess, who toured Europe and the Middle East with her owner Colonel Guy Powles during World War I.

The memorial - near Flock House, about 25km from Palmerston North - records Bess's travels through Egypt in 1915, Sinai in 1916, Palestine in 1917-18, France in 1918, Germany in 1919 and England in 1920.

Bess was one of thousands of horses to serve in World War I, but one of only four brought home.

She returned to New Zealand in July 1922, and died at the site of the memorial in 1934.

An Anzac Day service is scheduled to be held at the memorial on Sunday.


Send us your messages and memories of loved ones who have served in past wars or to people currently serving in the armed forces.

You can also post a message directly in the Auckland War Memorial Museum's official Book of Remembrance.