2775: A horse lover who suffered a terrible injustice

Contributor's aunt was brought up by Mr and Mrs William Franklin, originally from Norfolk. William worked for a removal company in London, working closely with horses. Believed he organised casual labour for the company. Volunteered in his 40s, he had the rank of sergeant and was in charge of a stable. Whilst looking after a horse that was suffering terribly from shell shock, he refused an order to saddle up the horse from a senior officer who wanted to ride the animal for recreation. William was subsequently court martialled, demoted to private and dispatched to a machine gun unit at the front. During a raid he was gassed and though he survived the war never fully recovered.

As a young girl the contributor remembers him as a sick man, quite disabled by his injury. He died in the 1940s. She also remembered that he received letters from his fellow troops commending his stance regarding the horse.