Forget me Not Dazzle Horse

With funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Strange Cargo developed the "Forget Me Not" program, offering a glimpse into life in Cheriton during the First World War. This initiative, inspired by King George V and Lord Kitchener's 1915 visit to Shorncliffe Barracks, honored the sacrifices of local servicemen, women, and their families.

A key element was an art project led by artist Kelvin Pawsey, who worked with students from Cheriton's Harvey Grammar School. Together, they created a full-sized horse sculpture painted with dazzle camouflage—a technique used in WWI to protect naval vessels. The horse was adorned with regimental badges representing fallen soldiers, researched and digitally reproduced by the students.

The finished sculpture was displayed at Strange Cargo during a talk by historian Vince Williams and later exhibited outside the school near Cheriton Road Cemetery for the Armistice centenary. A poppy wreath, including purple poppies to honor animals lost in the war, accompanied the sculpture. The project highlighted the critical role played by over 8 million animals in WWI military services.