Drillers went to aid of horse frozen in mud

Heave-HO! Frank Boden of Shifnal came across this dramatic photo of a horse rescue over 50 years ago the other day and, although he can recognise several people, including himself of course, some of these rescuers are unidentified.

Frank with the picture of the rescue operation in progress

Pic supplied by Frank Boden in Shifnal of a dramatic horse rescue in the 1960's. The rescue took place on Jimmy Thomas' farm at Knowle Bank Farm, near Shifnal.

The drama happened in 1960.

Frank, who is now 73, said: "The horse was owned by a Mr Jimmy Thomas, of Knowle Bank Farm, near Shifnal. It was daybreak after an overnight temperature of minus 8C with a hard frost.

"We were working on a drilling rig for the National Coal Board.

"I was a surface worker for the Kemberton Colliery and lived at 3 The Wynde, Coalport Road, Madeley."

Frank, who had previously worked underground, was part of a drilling team doing exploratory boreholes to discover the extent of the coalfield.

"We looked down the field from the drilling rig in the direction of Haughton pools, which are adjacent to Mr Thomas's farm, and we could just see the horse's back and its head.

"It was frozen into the mud. We immediately phoned Shifnal fire brigade. They sent the firemen up and a vet," he said.

The drilling team provided the equipment which is being used to haul out the horse. Frank is nearest the camera just right of centre, with fair hair. Then he says next right was a driller he knows only as Rupert (with light flat cap), next with dark hat and dark coat he does not know, nor the person far right.

Third from the right, with a flat cap and face visible, is Jimmy Thomas, the farmer, and next to him is Malcolm Haynes of Madeley. On the turfer – a hoisting mechanism – is Lou Cooper who lived in a caravan next to Mr Thomas's farm.

The two firemen on the left in dark uniform he does not know, and on the left in profile he believes is the vet. The fireman with his back to us on left is also unknown while far left is Tommy Moore from Shifnal, who like Frank was a rig assistant.

While they succeeded in releasing the horse, ultimately there is a sad end to the tale. We only got it out after about four hours. He was taken to the farm. I believe he died two days later."