Animals in War

Animals in War

In the centre of London, on Park Lane, the impressive and thought provoking 'Animals in War Memorial' was unveiled by HRH The Princess Royal in November 2004, the 90th anniversary of the start of World War I. This monument is stamped with the footprints of mules, horses, carrier pigeons and dogs to commemorate the loyalty, sacrifice and courage of these valiant creatures. Whether as messengers, transporters of equipment and troops, medical assistants, or search and rescue workers, animals have played and continue to play a role in human conflicts and deserve to be remembered. On the memorial there are two inscriptions. The first reads 'This monument is dedicated to all the animals that served and died alongside British and allied forces in wars and campaigns throughout time'. The second simply states 'They had no choice'.

The sheer number and variety of animals, from elephants to glow worms used in war and the tasks undertaken by them is incredible.

Horses have been used for centuries in war and are depicted in thousands of paintings and statues across the world. In the First World War alone, over eight million horses, donkeys and mules perished. That number is more than the human population living in London at that time. Many horses that survived the war didn't make it back home as the transportation costs were deemed to be too high, so they were sold for meat to the French.

Dogs were invaluable and served many needs, from rat catchers, laying telephone wires and first aid carriers in the trenches in the First World War, to search and rescue dogs in subsequent wars. One such dog, Jet, was an Alsatian and, along with his handler, was responsible for recovering 150 people from buildings destroyed in German air raids. On one occasion, Jet located a woman buried in debris and refused to move for 12 hours whilst rescuers tried to reach her.

When the crew of HMS Grasshopper were taken prisoners of war, they managed to have their ship's mascot, a dog called Judy, also registered as a prisoner of war, to safeguard her life. She was extremely protective of her fellow POWs, and she barked and growled to distract the guards when they mistreated the prisoners. She would also leave camp to bring back food for them.

More recently, a dog called Bass demonstrated his bravery during a night raid in May 2019 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. During a firefight with the Taliban, Bass identified five improvised explosive devices (IEDs) hidden in a building that the team was about to clear, saving the lives of Americans and Afghans.

Pigeons of course, were vital to the war effort, with their ability to take messages back and forth. In 1942, a badly damaged RAF bomber ditched into the North Sea. As the aircraft went down, their carrier pigeon, Winkie was set free in the hope she could fly home to Dundee. After flying 120 miles she was discovered, exhausted and covered in oil. The RAF were able to calculate the position of the downed aircraft using the time difference between the plane's ditching and the arrival of the bird - taking into account the wind direction and even the impact of the oil on Winkie's feathers to her flight speed. A rescue mission was launched, and the men were found within 15 minutes. Winkie became the toast of the air base, with a dinner held in her honour.

One pigeon, GI Joe, saved more than 1,000 lives when he got a message through that a village about to be bombed had actually been recaptured by British forces.

Camels were used in the Sinai and Palestine campaigns. Their ability to carry heavy loads and go without water made them an ideal mode of transport in hot climates. In the First World War, canaries and mice, who are very sensitive to different gases were watched closely and their agitation would alert soldiers that the air was becoming toxic. Cats caught rats in the trenches. On the home front, circus elephants were commandeered for agriculture and haulage. Dolphins and sea lions were used to defend harbours from sea mines and divers, and to locate underwater mines. Rats were used to sniff out mines. Bees were trained to associate the smell of explosives with food. As for glow worms, soldiers would read important messages by their faint lights instead of using lanterns that the enemy might spot.

Animals were not only used for work. Dogs, cats, and more unusual animals including monkeys, foxes, goats, pigs, mice, bears and lions were kept as pets and mascots to raise morale and provide comfort amidst the hardships of war.

In recognition of their bravery and service, many animals were awarded The Dickin Medal. This is the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross. It was inaugurated during the Second World War in December 1943 by Maria Dickin, the founder of the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), for animal gallantry or devotion to duty in war or conflict. More than 60 animals have since received the award, including 18 dogs, three horses and one cat. But pigeons still rule the medal roost, with 32 being given medals, all between 1943 and 1949.

At the time of writing, no glow worm has received such recognition!

Sr Lindsey Newens

Editorial Team

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