Who worked in this makeshift smithy? An American farrier; horses were also stabled inside the ruined church. Under the same roof (or what was left of it), the American set up an evacuation hospital.
The trench warfare in this region was legendary. The wet soil couldn't withstand the stress of the war and any advances had to be via roads, bridges, and ramps that had to be engineered and built first. Large artillery couldn't move because the horses couldn't pull through the mud and the temporary roads couldn't hold their weight. Many horses were listed as "drowned in mud".
The church image is in the collection of the New York Public Library. It is courtesy of of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building / Photography Collection, Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs.
© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing. Please, no use without permission. Just ask. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email.
![]() |
Click here to fill in the form to receive the Hoof Blog email alerts. |
Follow Hoofcare + Lameness on Twitter: @HoofBlog
Read this blog's headlines on the Hoofcare + Lameness Facebook Page
Enjoy Hoofcare Publishing on Instagram, too
Enjoy Hoofcare Publishing on Instagram, too
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any direct compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned, other than Hoofcare Publishing. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.