This book is a comprehensive history of the part animals played in war through the ages. Each chapter describes a single species and covers time periods in order, in three areas: animals in combat, animals in support and animals in experimental roles. The book covers the First World War in detail: horses and mules were particularly useful on the battlefields as the ground had been churned into mud and it was virtually impossible for soldiers to drag heavy loads; and in North Africa, specially trained camels carried wounded soldiers in canvas stretchers fixed to either side of their humps. Dogs were used more in this war than in any earlier war and played many essential roles. The book is fully illustrated with fascinating photographs.

In this book, Cooper pays tribute to the bravery of the animals that served alongside troops during wartime. Her stories begin with the First World War, and the realities of warfare are sometimes hard to read. For example, many horses and mules had no shelters in the freezing temperatures on the battlefields and many were killed by mustard gas. The book also features comic encounters and uplifting accounts of bravery and the loyalty between animals and the soldiers who looked after them. Cooper's writing style is accessible for students to read on their own.

Pictures can often tell a richer, deeper and more vivid story than words. This is certainly true of this book. Moore draws on illustrated magazines, books and postcards of the period, as well as photographs from the incredible collection of archive images held by the Mary Evans Picture Library. The book is the perfect complement to written accounts of the First World War.