War Horse

War Horse (2011)

War Horse is a 2011 war film directed by Steven Spielberg based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo's novel of the same name. The title character was played by fourteen horses, with no CGI and little animatronics, all under the watchful eye of the American Humane Society. It was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Pictures, but ultimately did not win any.

The following weapons were used in the film War Horse:
WARNING! THIS PAGE CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Handguns

Luger Artillery Model

An Artillery Luger is used by a German officer (Sebastian Hülk) to put down a dying artillery horse.

Luger P08 long barreled "Artillery" model - 9x19mm

The German officer detaches his Luger from the shoulder stock.

The stock appears to be attached to a sling.

The officer reattaches his Luger to the shoulder stock.

This closeup reveals the stock.

A German emerged from a trench to fire upon British troops.

Webley Mk. VI

The Webley Mk VI is used by Sergeant Fry (Eddie Marsan) when he attempts to put down Joey at the end of the film. David Lyons (Robert Emms) is armed with one as well.

Webley Mk. VI

The younger Lyons with his Webley during the Second Battle of the Somme.

Sergeant Fry readies his Webley.

Sgt. Fry opens up his Webley to check to see if it is loaded.

Sergeant Fry prepares to shoot Joey. There has got to be a better place to shoot a horse than in front of nurses and wounded men.

Shotguns

Double Barreled Shotgun

Ted Narracott (Peter Mullan) attempts to kill Joey with a Double Barreled Shotgun.

Double Barreled Shotgun -12 Gauge

Albert Narracott (Jeremy Irvine) stops his father from shooting Joey.

Ted with the Double Barreled Shotgun.

Rifles

Mauser Gewehr 1898

The Mauser Gewehr 1898 rifle is used by the German troops in service during The Great War.

Mauser Gewehr 1898 - 7.92x57mm.

A Gewehr 98 slung on a German soldier.

A German soldier with his Gewehr 98.

A Gewehr 98 in the hands of a dead German soldier.

A German soldier fires a warning shot at the Geordie soldier (Toby Kebbell) coming to help Joey.

Mauser 98AZ Carbine

Some German troops are armed with Mauser 98AZ Artillery Carbines

Mauser 98AZ Artillery Carbine - 7.92x57mm.

A rider with his slung carbine.

Two riders with their carbines.

A soldier leads Joey away with his carbine slung while Emilie (Celine Buckens) and her grandfather (Niels Arestrup) look on. In a continuity error, this soldier is later showing with a full-sized Gewehr 98 over his shoulder.

Lee-Enfield No. I Mk III*

British troops during The Great War are armed with the Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk III* Short Magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle, including Albert Narracott (Jeremy Irvine).

Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk III* SMLE - .303.

British troops with their SMLEs before going over the top.

Albert fires his SMLE.

Andrew Easton (Matt Milne) with the SMLE, disobeying his orders to shoot anyone trying to retreat.

Machine Guns

Maxim MG08

German troops use the MG08s to defend their camp during a British Calvary attack.

Maxim MG 08 7.92x57mm Mauser

German soldiers fire MG 08 machine guns at oncoming British cavalry

Lewis Gun

A Lewis Gun when the British prepare to go over the top at the Somme in late 1918.

Lewis Gun - .303 British

Lewis Gun behind Albert and Andrew.

David Lyons instructs the Lewis gunner.

A Lewis gun on the left.

Explosives

Mills Bomb

Albert Narracott uses a Mills Bomb to take out a German machine-gun nest in the battle of the Somme.

Mills Bomb

Albert picks out some Mills Bombs before going over the top.

Albert fumbles with the Mills Bomb.

Model 17 Stielhandgranate

A German soldier searching Emilie's grandfather's farm has a Model 17 Stielhandgranate on his belt.

Model 17 Stielhandgranate

Trivia

21 cm Mörser 16

Joey and Topthorn are assigned to drag a battery of 21 cm Mörser 16 howitzers to a position on top of a hill.

Mark IV tank

A Mark IV tank makes a brief appearance in the film, to symbolize the changing face of warfare, making war horses like Joey obsolete. This Mark IV is actually a replica of a Mark IV found at The Tank Museum (formerly the Bovington Tank Museum) built from a modern commercial excavator. The replica was later purchased by The Tank Museum to allow the museum to show a working Mark IV without risking damage to the actual Mark IV, which are almost a hundred years old.

German Helmets and Body Armor

The costume designers went above and beyond when it came to marking the passage of time by showing the evolution of German helmets.

At the start of the war, German troops were issued leather Pickelhaube helmets, which issued little protection against shrapnel.

Early Stahlhelms had ventilator lugs built into them, which allowed an additional armor plate, the Stirnpanzer, to be attached. These were not popular as they were too heavy, and later versions of the Stahlhelm did away with the lugs.

White helmet covers started appearing in late 1916.

In mid-1918, the Germans started painting camouflage on their helmets. Note that the shooter is also wearing plate body armor, which was issued along with the Stirnpanzer.