T H E C O V E N A N T E R
the hundreds of horses that had survived war
service. A Peterborough dealer bought him
and he was sold to Mrs Heath, the Secretary
of the Peterborough branch of the RSPCA,
who started a public subscription fund for
his upkeep. Jimmy was introduced to the
citizens of Peterborough onstage at the
Hippodrome Theatre, and they took him to
their hearts, enthusiastically contributing
to the subscription fund.
Over the years, Jimmy became a well-
loved local celebrity. His home was in
a field near the town centre, so he was
plentifully supplied with carrots and other
titbits by passers-by, and he used to stand
and wait for the children to come and pet
him. On charity flag-days he would pull a
little cart and give rides to children, and
during the peacetime career he helped to
raise thousands of pounds for the RSPCA
and other charities.
Hundreds pay tribute to
Jimmy
(with acknowledgements and thanks to
needed antidote to the unremitting carnage
The Evening Telegraph - Peterborough)
that surrounded them.
As well as entertaining his soldier pals,
More than 200 people turned up at the
though, Jimmy served his adoptive country
city’s Central Park yesterday to pay tribute
faithfully, carrying ammunition and other
to the late Jimmy the Donkey.
essential supplies around the battlefields.
At a special ceremony to commemorate
In 1919 Jimmy was demobbed and sent to
the refurbishment of Jimmy’s headstone,
the military depot at Swathey in the South
residents and dignitaries stood around the
of England where the Army was auctioning
grave of the donkey, which was born during
a battle at the Somme in 1916, and died in
Peterborough 27 years later.
Jimmy was remembered for being a
mascot of the 1st Scottish Rifles, which
later became the Cameronians, during the
First World War.
Jimmy became a local celebrity after the
war when he was bought by city woman
Mrs Heath.
He starred in a stage production at the
local Embassy Theatre, and would entertain
children while helping collect money for
charity.
He grazed in a paddock in Burghley Square,
and passers by would give him a sugar
lump.
Jimmy’s headstone was cleaned up and
repaired as it had become unreadable
through weather damage

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