Message dogs
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Did one often use dogs as message carriers?
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Dogs in World War 1
Yes they carried messages. The canines carried aid to the wounded, took messages between the lines and sniffed out enemy soldiers.
Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-25147640 and Photographs.Posted
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cyngast
moderator
Yes, both sides used dogs as messengers, and for other purposes, during the war. This article http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-25147640 says that up to 20,000 dogs were used by the British alone. The photos, although not very clear, show kennels near the front. Dogs were also used for guard duty and to find wounded soldiers.
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cyngast
moderator
Hah, Marie! We both found the same article!
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ral104
moderator, scientist
Here's a nice photo of a messenger dog, Erik: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205212904
The army had a special training centre for dogs in France. Remember this was a time when radio was still a developing technology and telephone lines were subject to a lot of disruption, so dogs and pigeons were important as a way of keeping information flowing.
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I tagged a diary 15 days ago with this instruction regarding dogs: “All ranks should be warned that dogs carrying message pouches on their collars are not to be detained except for messages read by officers”.
https://talk.operationwardiary.org/#/subjects/AWD0003jne
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The Bravest Dog of World War 1 Link: http://www.fallendogs.com/story.php?dogID=29 Interesting story.
By the way: The PDSA Dickin Medal was instituted in 1943 in the United Kingdom by Maria Dickin to honour the work of animals in World War II. It is a bronze medallion, bearing the words "For Gallantry" and "We Also Serve" within a laurel wreath, carried on a ribbon of striped green, dark brown, and pale blue.[1] It is awarded to animals that have displayed "conspicuous gallantry or devotion to duty while serving or associated with any branch of the Armed Forces or Civil Defence Units". The award is commonly referred to as "the animals' Victoria Cross" (although the Victoria Cross Trust has opposed this association). Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dickin_Medal
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cyngast
moderator
Marie, these orders say exactly the same thing. It must have been a standard sentence to be used in orders where dogs were used.
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Thanks for the multitude of information. Meanwhile I found a picture of "Belgian" dogs pulling machine guns in august 1914 http://www.blankenberge.be/01/MyImages/Belgisch_leger_1914.jpg
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ral104
moderator, scientist
Great photo, Erik.
It's also very interesting to see the sorts of uniforms and equipment still in use at the beginning of the war - a time before steel helmets!
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cyngast
moderator
I'll also say that's an interesting photo. I wonder why all the dogs are looking off to the left? Our left, their right. We'll never know.
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