By . Chris Parsons . Last updated at 3:32 AM on 20th January 2012 . They were the brave duo who endured shellfire on the Western Front in a tale which rivals Steven Spielberg's latest wartime blockbuster. But while Spielberg's 'War Horse' was adapted from a children's book for the big screen, Sergeant George Thompson and his faithful charge braved hellish conditions for real in the First World War. Decorated hero Sgt Thompson even defiantly disobeyed orders to shoot his horse when it became sick, instead building a secret stable and nursing it back to health. Bond: Sergeant George Thompson after he had been ordered to have his horse shot. This picture shows him at the head of a team of horses at a military camp, in Yorkshire in 1920 . Hero: An example of the Military Medal for Bravery that was awarded to Thompson in 1919 for saving lives during heavy shelling . In diary extracts revealed for the first time, Sgt Thompson writes of his close bond to the horse which he cared for throughout the Great War. Sgt Thompson penned the moving diary in 1928 for his then two-year-old daughter, although his relationship with the horse did not begin well. Sgt Thompson got the horse from a local contractor and could remember the old driver asking him to take good care of him and saying, 'he is quiet and a good worker and will go anywhere'. But it was not an easy start to the friendship - the horse he would eventually nurse back to health used to kick and bite him every time he went for a drink. Sgt Thompson, from Sunderland, wrote: 'The horse I was in charge of was a rank bad one. Nearly every time I took him for a drink I used to get into trouble. He used to kick and bite and bolt away. I was soon fed up with him.' He went to France early in 1915, his duties included transporting ammunition and provisions to the frontline. The horses had to wear a harness all the time and suffered from skin diseases, but often nothing could be done for them. In his diary, Sgt Thompson writes: 'I . remember when we were at Fricourt there was a skin disease came out . among our horses and an officer came up one morning and ordered about 15 . horses to go down the line (to be shot) and one of those was the horse I . brought from England. Brave: Sergeant George Thompson pictured standing left with fellow members of the 7th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry Pioneers in a field at Marne, France, taken two days before the retreat in July, 1918 . Touching: Copy of page 39 of Thompson's diary describing how he saved his horse after he was ordered to have it shot during the First World War, which is on display at The Durham County Record Office . 'So instead of sending him away, we sent another in his place and we built a stable for him away from all the other horses and looked after him ourselves.' A month later the horse was back on duty. Sgt Thompson recalled the horrors of riding over dead bodies, enduring heavy shell fire, always wishing the 'rotten war was over'. He and his horse had happy times too, such as racing on the beach in Ault, France. Sgt Thompson was twice mentioned in despatches and received the Military Medal for saving the lives of his fellow soldiers under heavy fire. Masterpiece: Steven Spielberg's depiction of the cavalry charger Joey in the film War Horse . He went on to be a fermenting room foreman for Vaux Breweries and died in 1958. The story of Sgt Thompson and his faithful horse is being told at a new exhibition to coincide with the release of Steven Spielberg's wartime epic Warhorse. Archivist Liz Bregazzi, who is involved in the exhibition, said: 'The exhibition is based on the diary of Sergeant Thompson, who, together with hundreds of others, volunteered for the transport section of the 7th Battalion the Durham Light Infantry. 'The nice thing about it is the way it is written. He is an ordinary soldier and it is very much a personal account.' Ms Bregazzi added: 'There were so many horses out there. Amazingly, this man went through the entire war with the horse he started off with. We don’t know the name of the horse. He never says, which is strange.'
Sgt George Thompson defied orders to shoot his horse when it became sick .
Brave duo survived First World War together .
By . Chris Parsons . Last updated at 3:32 AM on 20th January 2012 . They were the brave duo who endured shellfire on the Western Front in a tale which rivals Steven Spielberg's latest wartime blockbuster. But while Spielberg's 'War Horse' was adapted from a children's book for the big screen, Sergeant George Thompson and his faithful charge braved hellish conditions for real in the First World War. Decorated hero Sgt Thompson even defiantly disobeyed orders to shoot his horse when it became sick, instead building a secret stable and nursing it back to health. Bond: Sergeant George Thompson after he had been ordered to have his horse shot. This picture shows him at the head of a team of horses at a military camp, in Yorkshire in 1920 . Hero: An example of the Military Medal for Bravery that was awarded to Thompson in 1919 for saving lives during heavy shelling . In diary extracts revealed for the first time, Sgt Thompson writes of his close bond to the horse which he cared for throughout the Great War. Sgt Thompson penned the moving diary in 1928 for his then two-year-old daughter, although his relationship with the horse did not begin well. Sgt Thompson got the horse from a local contractor and could remember the old driver asking him to take good care of him and saying, 'he is quiet and a good worker and will go anywhere'. But it was not an easy start to the friendship - the horse he would eventually nurse back to health used to kick and bite him every time he went for a drink. Sgt Thompson, from Sunderland, wrote: 'The horse I was in charge of was a rank bad one. Nearly every time I took him for a drink I used to get into trouble. He used to kick and bite and bolt away. I was soon fed up with him.' He went to France early in 1915, his duties included transporting ammunition and provisions to the frontline. The horses had to wear a harness all the time and suffered from skin diseases, but often nothing could be done for them. In his diary, Sgt Thompson writes: 'I . remember when we were at Fricourt there was a skin disease came out . among our horses and an officer came up one morning and ordered about 15 . horses to go down the line (to be shot) and one of those was the horse I . brought from England. Brave: Sergeant George Thompson pictured standing left with fellow members of the 7th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry Pioneers in a field at Marne, France, taken two days before the retreat in July, 1918 . Touching: Copy of page 39 of Thompson's diary describing how he saved his horse after he was ordered to have it shot during the First World War, which is on display at The Durham County Record Office . 'So instead of sending him away, we sent another in his place and we built a stable for him away from all the other horses and looked after him ourselves.' A month later the horse was back on duty. Sgt Thompson recalled the horrors of riding over dead bodies, enduring heavy shell fire, always wishing the 'rotten war was over'. He and his horse had happy times too, such as racing on the beach in Ault, France. Sgt Thompson was twice mentioned in despatches and received the Military Medal for saving the lives of his fellow soldiers under heavy fire. Masterpiece: Steven Spielberg's depiction of the cavalry charger Joey in the film War Horse . He went on to be a fermenting room foreman for Vaux Breweries and died in 1958. The story of Sgt Thompson and his faithful horse is being told at a new exhibition to coincide with the release of Steven Spielberg's wartime epic Warhorse. Archivist Liz Bregazzi, who is involved in the exhibition, said: 'The exhibition is based on the diary of Sergeant Thompson, who, together with hundreds of others, volunteered for the transport section of the 7th Battalion the Durham Light Infantry. 'The nice thing about it is the way it is written. He is an ordinary soldier and it is very much a personal account.' Ms Bregazzi added: 'There were so many horses out there. Amazingly, this man went through the entire war with the horse he started off with. We don’t know the name of the horse. He never says, which is strange.'
First World War. Decorated hero Sgt Thompson even defiantly disobeyed orders to shoot his horse when it became sick, instead building a secret