h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: A Man and His Horse: Warrior - A87839842
Author: Bluebottle - U43530

Part Two of a two-part series, about one of the world's most famous horse.

<BB<

I am surprised that no one has commented on this fine Entry.

Any comments?

F S

I could try talking to myself.
Do I want to add a section on why horses were so important?

<BB<

Good question - I did think about adding a section about that.

Motorised vehicles were still in their infancy and completely unable to cope with the muddy conditions of the western front. Roads and railways - including narrow gauge railways - were useful but vulnerable to attack and lacked the flexibility of the horse. There were cyclist platoons - indeed, the first British causality of the Great War was a cyclist scout - but they lacked the speed of a cavalry regiment. Before the use of paratroopers became possible, the best way to swiftly move troops on a battlefront was by horse.

I felt, though, that explaining all that was a bit of a tangent and the article was long enough already. Any more questions?

<BB<

Yes - that Bible quote at the start 'war horses are useless' - it's a bit silly, isn't it? Especially as you then go on to disprove that by showing how useful Warrior was?

<BB1<

Good point - but I heard that quote when I first thought about writing about war horses and for months it was as far as I'd got. I thought by stressing the plight of the horse at the start, especially how vulnerable they are in war time situations, it makes the reader appreciate how remarkable a horse Warrior was.

Incidentally I've written 'Seely could not bare to' - that should be 'Seely could not bear to'. Where did I learn spelling and grammar, eh? And don't give me that 'I wasn't taught grammar at school' excuse, I could have spent my free time since school more productively in learning that sort of stuff.

Hmm... Maybe I'll stop talking to myself now...

<BB2<

that Bible quote at the start 'war horses are useless. True but it dose prove the long history of the war horse keep it.

No comments = lack of problems straight to edit

I am sorry <BB<, I did not mean to force you to talk to yourself

I have been meaning to give this a good read through, but I was selfishly waiting for a time when I had time to thoroughly enjoy it.

Last night I read it through and found it an excellent telling of an interesting story. The pace is just right and it gives all of the important information without any unnecessary detail - well done

After I had finished reading, I decided to go to the Peer Review thread to see what comments and changes had been made. I was shocked to see there had not been a single post!

I really meant this as an auctioneer's going - going ... Last chance to comment.

Please leave the opening quote, it is an excellent juxtaposition to the story that follows.

Thank you



F S

Don't worry - I was just being a bit

No changes made as requested - don't say that very often

<BB<

Nothing to add petty things don't need changing thats the ed`s job good entry about a food chap and his horse.

A suggestion or challenge for you Lord Kitchener from the regimental review at Osborne house to the sinking of HMS Hampshire.

Keep you busy for a while

I must admit I don't have any plans to write about Lord Kitchener in the near future, sorry.

I would always say to anyone who has thought of a topic they feel should be included in the Guide, they should never wait for someone else to write about it but do it themselves.

<BB<

It will be some time hence the suggestion and he has an IOW connection

Hi <BB< this is a fine Entry all round, if you don't mind I'll let you attend to some nitpicks to save the sub-ed some time

>>Both Guest and Smith were fond of horses also spent considerable time with Warrior before the war.<< doesn't make sense.



>>On the 5th August 1914, <<
=
On 5 August, 1914,



>>Warrior survived his first close encounter with attacking shells, when he was one of the few survivors of a shell that killed several horses with whom he was stabled at Ferté-sous-Jouarre.<<
You say the same thing twice there, possibly change it to:
Warrior's first close encounter with death was when a shell killed several horses with whom he was stabled at Ferté-sous-Jouarre.



>>Seely and Warrior were reunited on 1st November, 1918.<<
= 1 November, 1918.

Thanks again for putting this together <BB<

GB

Changes made - although the shell wasn't the first close encounter as he'd been shot at several times by then as the German infantry were able to advance much quicker than their supporting artillery.

<BB<

Thanks BB, it was the "first close encounter with attacking shells" I had the problem with, I had a vision of shells with stick legs, angry faces and raised arms brandishing clubs a la Disney war toons (I wonder why?)

Thanks for changing it

GB

this story kind of makes me sad but it's an interesting Entry

in 'Early Years':
'Seely was also close friends of F E Smith, later Lord Birkenhead, and Captain Freddie ...'
These names tell me nothing.

In the section about 1917:
You first say that they could not attack Cambrai because of the bridge and then you say 'Ten days after Cambrai, ...'
So did they, or did they not?

At the end, could you write how old Warrior was at his death? When I came to the end of the Entry I couldn't remember the birth year anymore.

Thanks for your read through and comments. There's no escaping that the Great War was a tragic time – sadness is inevitable when discussing a time in which so many people died. Although I believe that bravery and sacrifice should be remembered, war should not be celebrated or applauded.

Then again, most life stories are sad as they invariably end with the death of who you are writing about.

I've added a little more about Smith and Captain Freddie – the details don’t matter especially, other than that Warrior was a horse wo moved in the very highest echelons of British society.

'Cambrai' is not only the name of the town but also the name of the (failed) battle to recapture it. I've reworded that bit so that it is clearer.

I've also added his age at death too.

<BB<

Thanks!

This is a good story, well told.

I hope Seely cared for his men as well as he did his horse.

Yes by all accounts he did, a very popular man the men would follow into hell, and they did, with losses up to 25%.

Warrior was even more popular with the men though an exceptional animal