Pat Holscher wrote:As sort of an ignorant question, on my part, how often would we expect a World War One physician to have a horse?
As often as he needed to travel? Not trying for a "smart" remark, here, but rather considering that motor transport was probably less prevalent that we sometimes assume. An ordinary physician would likely have a relatively low priority on calls on the motor pool. It would probably have been more efficient to maintain a mount, at least for short distance travel.
The Age of Horsepower was slowly waning, but it would persist for a long time after WWI in many areas.
Gentlemen: As an officer Col McCrae would have been entitled to a charger although I am not sure how far down the officer corps that entitlement started.
In any event Bonfire was McCrae's own horse that he took overseas with him. Here's an excerpt from some documentation plucked from the web:
"When McCrae went to Europe he took with him his horse Bonfire, a gift given to him by his friend John L. Todd. McCrae was very fond of animals and often wrote home to his niece and nephew as if the letters were from Bonfire and signed with Bonfire’s hoof print. While at Ypres, John McCrae also befriended a dog he named Bonneau which accompanied McCrae on his rounds through the medical wards."
I am attempting to determine what became of Bonfire after McCrae's death.
That is an interesting photo of him mounted on Bonfire and his position appears most uncomfortable. It strikes me that he is riding with a very short stirrup.
Larry
Gentlemen: Here"s the last word on Bonfire:
Bonfire was given to John McCrae to use by him during the war by Dr. John Todd. Bonfire was to be returned to the Todd’s but when they went to meet the ship that he was supposedly on…no Bonfire. Other stories say he was sold into “honourable retirement” and the proceeds were used to purchase the stone seat at Wimereux Cemetery in France where he is buried.
So the bottom line…we don’t know what happen to Bonfire
Bev Dietrich
Curator
Guelph Museums
Our photograph link seems to be down right now, but I thought I'd note that today, January 28, 2018, is the anniversary of the death of John McCrea in 1918..