154 ANIMALS WASTED BY WAR. 



Chaptee II— casting. 



Apart from animals which are incurably injured or diseased 

 and which are destroyed as necessary under the orders of the 

 Director of Veterinary Services or his representatives in For- 

 mations, the first step in the disposal of animals wasted by 

 War is that they are cast by competent authority as unfit for 

 further military service. No casting, or at least final casting,, 

 was done at the front ; the princicple being that only effective 

 animals were maintained with fighting formations, the ineffec- 

 tives being evacuated to Lines of Communication. It was,, 

 however, left to the Administrative Officers of Formations to 

 recommend the casting of certain animals — from their more 

 intimate knowledge of them, and this was indicated on the 

 Evacuation Eolls for action. 



The Casting Authority was, therefore, the Inspector-General 

 of Communications, or the General Officer Commanding Lines 

 of Communications, as he was subsequently termed. Acting 

 under this Authority, the decision of casting was carried out by 

 the Director of Eemounts for what are designated Eemount cases 

 i.e. animals too old for further service or those subject to vice 

 and by the Director of Veterinary Services or his Deputies on 

 Lines of Communications for those suffering from infirmity or 

 disease. All animals submitted for casting were duly entered 

 on Casting rolls, which were signed by the Director or his- 

 Deputy concerned. Furthermore, they were shown on the 

 Forage and Animal Monthly Eeturn of the Hospital or Depot, 

 and struck off charge when disposed of, so that check was 

 accurate. It was not practicable during active warfare for 

 units of fighting formations, i.e. above railhead, to maintain a 

 Forage and Animal Account. The check on casualties — deaths, 

 destructions, missing, and evacuations, is quite enough to 

 impose on fighting units, and casting and disposal are much 

 better carried out farther back, where better facihties and a 

 better market can be arranged. 



