This is Peter the sheep, who was born on a farm in Sussex during April 1914. Peter was a Southdown sheep – a small British breed of sheep from the South Downs in Sussex. He was bottle fed after his mother died and became very accustomed to people.
Peter served as the beloved mascot of the 11th, 12th and 13th battalions of the Royal Sussex Regiment during the First World War.
He follows the men around like a dog, walks up and down stairs, and has a decided partiality for children.
The Southdown Battalions
After the break-out of the war in August 1914 there was a call for recruits across the country. Claude Lowther, a local MP, set up a committee to recruit local men from Sussex for the war effort.
In November 1914, Peter’s owner gave Peter to the Battalion serve as a mascot, as his son-in-law had volunteered to join. Peter helped the regimental band’s tour to encourage men to sign up. He became very famous as the face of the Southdown Battalion. The men serving in these battalions were nicknamed ‘Lowther’s Lambs’ – for their Colonel, Claude Lowther, and for Peter.
Peter helped recruit 4000 men for the war effort, not just on the South Downs, but across Sussex and beyond.
Life at Herstmonceux Castle
Peter didn’t travel with the Southdown battalions when they crossed the channel to fight. He stayed at Herstmonceux Castle, Claude Lowther’s home, and continued to help with the recruitment effort.
Peter and Claude were very close. Peter would ‘baa’ on hearing Claude’s name, and scratch at the castle door to try and catch his attention. He was looked after by the head gardener and steward at the castle until he died. Peter reached the grand old age of 14. Claude reportedly “fe[lt] the animal’s loss most keenly”.
Peter’s grave is in a rose garden inside Herstmonceux Castle. The Royal Sussex Regiment Association’s Eastbourne branch have dedicated a bench beside his grave to all fallen comrades.
