Animals in War Memorial

The Animals in War Memorial stands in Hyde Park, London, on Park Lane near the junction with Upper Brook Street. It honours animals that served and died under British command in wars. The sculptor David Backhouse designed the curved Portland stone wall, fifteen metres wide and seventeen metres deep. Two bronze mules climb the steps, while a horse and a dog gaze beyond. The wall carries images of animals struggling in conflict. Princess Anne unveiled the memorial in November 2004. The memorial was inspired by Jilly Cooper’s 1983 book and funded by public donations totalling £1.4 million. Cooper served as a trustee of the fund. In 2013 the monument was one of two London memorials vandalised in a single night. A man later admitted causing over £50,000 of damage across several sites. The inscriptions were cut by Andrew Whittle in large uppercase letters. The words recognise creators and funders around the edges of the stone wall. Visitors find the main inscription on the right wing inside the curve. Smaller texts appear on the rear and inner edges of the wings. The bronze animals stand at ground level, facing the open space of the park. The setting is quiet, with Hyde Park’s trees and paths nearby. The memorial’s curved shape frames the bronze figures against the sky. It invites reflection on the animals’ service and sacrifice.