Animals in War by Ronald Rae (1998)
Gifted by the sculptor in 2015 to the people of Milton Keynes in memory of Edna Read (1929-2012) who was an active promoter of public art in the new city. Animals in War is a granite memorial of all animals that have died in wars, in particular the horses that died in their millions in World War I. The soldier with half an arm missing and wearing a gas mask is a reference to the horrors of chemical warfare.
Ronald Rae is a fellow of the Royal Society of Sculptors and has had a long and successful career working in carving granite on many public and private commissions. He has had major exhibitions of hand carved granite sculptors across the UK. Much of the granite Rae has used for his sculptures comes from Scotland and the silver grey of Animals in War and fellow piece War Veteran, is from the Creetown and Dalbeattie quarries in the Solway Firth.
Animals in War can be found just off the path along the hill on the west side of Campbell Park at What3Words location bookshop.momentous.easygoing.
The original vision for Campbell Park was for it to be the cultural heart of the city, with sculptures sited in the park alongside art installations, performances and temporary shows. Today you can see thirteen pieces of public art within the park.
Residing in the heart of Milton Keynes, this Grade II listed landscape connects the city centre to the linear park network. As well as public art, visitors can discover water features, the Grand Union Canal, a cricket pitch and an amphitheatre.