We are delighted to announce partnership working with the Ancre Somme Association, a charity in Northern Ireland that was born out of a trip to the battlefields of France and Belgium in 2006. The majority of County Armagh men who fell on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme served with the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers. These men were buried where they had fallen, thus creating what became the Ancre British Military Cemetery, a place with resonating significance for those from Co Armagh, and the Commonwealth.

Lexi Davidson, the charity’s Community Development Officer explained: “We established The Northern Ireland Purple Poppy Memorial Fund in 2023 to remember the animals that served from WW1 to the present day.

“This initiative is a heartwarming tribute to the countless animals that have played a vital role in armed conflicts throughout history. From horses and mules to dogs and pigeons, these animals have bravely served alongside their human counterparts, often making great sacrifices in the process. We are very much looking forward to working with The War Horse Memorial on projects that bring mutual benefit."

Susan Osborne, co-founder of the The War Horse Memorial and The Animal Purple Poppy Fund added: “As you can see we share the same aims and objectives regarding the role and contribution that animals in World War l and conflicts that followed, particularly horses, donkeys, dogs and pigeons, played in securing the peace we enjoy today

“Going forward we hope to better promote the purple poppy as a symbol of remembrance so that more people are aware of the service and sacrifice of millions of animals.”