THE heroic struggle of horses, donkeys and mules in World War One, including thousands who came through Minehead, is being remembered in a special campaign to mark 100 years since the war ended.

The charity Brooke – Action for Working Horses and Donkeys – is highlighting the eight million animals who died, in a year-long campaign called Every Horse Remembered.

As part of it, people have been sending in photographs and stories from their local areas – and the Exmoor Supporters Group of the charity has sent a wealth of detail about the horses and mules who came to Minehead on their way to the frontline.

The chance discovery of a photograph in 2014 of mules being driven through Minehead, led Rita Tremain, a co-ordinator of the charity’s Exmoor group, to undertake research.

She found out that from May 1915 to July 1915, 12 Somerset mule depots were set up, with the Minehead Depot (numbers 11 and 12) being one of the largest.

“We had no idea that mules had ever come to Minehead until this amazing photograph came to light, of a group of mules being driven up The Avenue in the direction of Bratton Farm,” she said.

“It must have been quite a sight, scattering old ladies and small children – health and safety wouldn’t let you do that today!”

Since then, the story unfolded and more photos were discovered of mules at the station, said Rita who also found mules’ shoes around the yards at the farm where she keeps her own horse. Her research was the subject of a BBC documentary - and there is a full feature in this week’s Free Press (August 17).