April 1, 2006

• I was listening recently to a radio programme here in the UK about the Dickin Medal (the animals’ version of the VC)  

  
  

  An example of the Dickin medal

  
  

  The Medal came into being in 1943 at the suggestion of a pioneering woman, Maria Dickin, who had founded the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) in 1917. During the Second World War she felt inspired by the displays of bravery shown by animals used in active service to introduce a medal to recognise their efforts. In the program, it was mentioned that dogs were trained by the War Office to parachute silently and  round up men, without barking, who had parachuted at night and landed over a wide area.

  
  

  You can find out more at:

  
  

  www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/animals_vc.shtml
  Below is a small extract from this Webpage, which also has audio tracks of the actual radio programme.

  
  

  
  Parachuting dogs? Surely not? But yes, during the Second World War a working farm dog – a collie called Rob – was to play a vital role in being parachuted in behind enemy lines with his SAS unit where he was trained to watch over and protect the exhausted men as they slept inbetween carrying out their undercover operations. He made over 20 descents during his time with Units in North Africa and Italy. In addition to those dogs serving abroad with regiments, some dogs played a vital role at home. Beauty was a wire-haired terrier who led one of the PDSA’s Animal Rescue Squads that operated during the Second World War. Beauty’s role was to seach for pet animals that had become trapped with their owners in the rubble following bombing raids in London. She came to be thought of as the pioneer dog for this kind of work and in her wartime service rescued 63 animals. She received her Dickin Medal in 1945.

  
  

  A Webpage about the contribution of US dogs to the war effort is at:

  
  

  http://community-2.webtv.net/Hahn-50thAP-K9/K9History8/

  
  

   

  
  

   

  
  

   

  • 3:37 am
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