It always amuses me when someone says "I've got my Grandfathers saddle. He bought it home from the war with him".
At the end of hostilities, as I have previously written in my last Blog, the D and C class horses were euthanized. At the same time the saddlery and other assorted leather equipment was inspected by Army Saddlers. Anything deemed beyond repair was piled in large heaps and set alight. Likewise, large piles of ammunition were blown up along with anything else which was not required. All other equipment was handed in to the Ordinance where it was signed off against the Troopers name and number. As the horses were unable to return to New Zealand because of the danger of introducing disease so too the saddlery, horse brushes, bridles and blankets could not be allowed home.
The men were issued canvas kit bags in which they carried their personal belongings and they still had their blankets and rifles. They were transported by trucks and trains or sometimes marched, slowly making their way through Rafa , Jaffa Jerusalem then to Ismalia and on to Columbo where they boarded the ships to start the long journey home to New Zealand. The men stayed in camps which had been occupied by previous Troops as they made their way to the port. In some camps there were small lines of horses which had to be excercised, fed and watered. These horses still had saddlery in good condition with them which was either later sold or left behind, and many of these saddles can still be seen in use by the locals in and around Cairo today.
The men's kit bags were not terribly large, around a metre long and about 30cm diameter - big enough to smuggle a bayonet or side arm but certainly not a saddle. And smuggling it definitely would have been as the saddles did not belong to the men they were the property of the New Zealand Government. Even if the Trooper had survived dragging his stinking saddle (they were often smothered with the fat from Bully Beef tins when issues of leather dressing had run out) over his mates in the hot, cramped trucks and trains it wouldn't have been long before he came to the attention of an NCO or Officer.
All Defence equipment which was put into service was marked with a Broad Arrow. This denoted that the item belonged to the Government and the penalties for being in possession of such marked items outside of the Defence Force were severe indeed. If a Trooper "forgot" to hand in any of his equipment then he could expect to receive a letter in the mail up to a year after returning home reminding him that he hadn't turned in specific items with a short period of time to turn them over before proceedings would be taken against him.
During World War Two the Homeguard were issued with saddles, usually 1912 UP's which were used to patrol the beaches and coastline around the country. After the end of World War Two the NZ Government decided to sell off it's surplus equipment. War Surplus stores sprung up all round New Zealand cheaply selling everything from uniforms, bedding, tools and saddlery. However all the Broad Arrow marked gear was re-stamped with another arrow point to point with the existing stamp which allowed the article to enter civilian life.
It was from these sales and shops that "Grand father" purchased his saddle. They were cheap, light and comfortable - perfect for the farm and telling the Grandchildren stories of how he rode in the desert in one when he was in the Great
War.
At the end of hostilities, as I have previously written in my last Blog, the D and C class horses were euthanized. At the same time the saddlery and other assorted leather equipment was inspected by Army Saddlers. Anything deemed beyond repair was piled in large heaps and set alight. Likewise, large piles of ammunition were blown up along with anything else which was not required. All other equipment was handed in to the Ordinance where it was signed off against the Troopers name and number. As the horses were unable to return to New Zealand because of the danger of introducing disease so too the saddlery, horse brushes, bridles and blankets could not be allowed home.
The men were issued canvas kit bags in which they carried their personal belongings and they still had their blankets and rifles. They were transported by trucks and trains or sometimes marched, slowly making their way through Rafa , Jaffa Jerusalem then to Ismalia and on to Columbo where they boarded the ships to start the long journey home to New Zealand. The men stayed in camps which had been occupied by previous Troops as they made their way to the port. In some camps there were small lines of horses which had to be excercised, fed and watered. These horses still had saddlery in good condition with them which was either later sold or left behind, and many of these saddles can still be seen in use by the locals in and around Cairo today.
The men's kit bags were not terribly large, around a metre long and about 30cm diameter - big enough to smuggle a bayonet or side arm but certainly not a saddle. And smuggling it definitely would have been as the saddles did not belong to the men they were the property of the New Zealand Government. Even if the Trooper had survived dragging his stinking saddle (they were often smothered with the fat from Bully Beef tins when issues of leather dressing had run out) over his mates in the hot, cramped trucks and trains it wouldn't have been long before he came to the attention of an NCO or Officer.
All Defence equipment which was put into service was marked with a Broad Arrow. This denoted that the item belonged to the Government and the penalties for being in possession of such marked items outside of the Defence Force were severe indeed. If a Trooper "forgot" to hand in any of his equipment then he could expect to receive a letter in the mail up to a year after returning home reminding him that he hadn't turned in specific items with a short period of time to turn them over before proceedings would be taken against him.
During World War Two the Homeguard were issued with saddles, usually 1912 UP's which were used to patrol the beaches and coastline around the country. After the end of World War Two the NZ Government decided to sell off it's surplus equipment. War Surplus stores sprung up all round New Zealand cheaply selling everything from uniforms, bedding, tools and saddlery. However all the Broad Arrow marked gear was re-stamped with another arrow point to point with the existing stamp which allowed the article to enter civilian life.
It was from these sales and shops that "Grand father" purchased his saddle. They were cheap, light and comfortable - perfect for the farm and telling the Grandchildren stories of how he rode in the desert in one when he was in the Great
War.