- from 'the War Budget'
- 'Stories from the Trench Menagerie'
- By H. Thoburn-Clarke
Soldiers' Pets
two pussy-cats of war
ONE of the soldiers' most amusing pets was a pretty, cream-coloured Uist pony named Polly, who belongs to the Transport Section of a Mountain Battery, and has seen service in several campaigns. She is exceedingly fond of her driver, and her hearing is so acute that she can detect the whine of a shell long before anyone else.
During the campaign at Gallipoli, where Polly first received her baptism of fire, she would throw herself flat on the ground the instant she heard a shell coming. Other horses and mules would be dashing about in a frenzy of fear, but Polly would lie down, stretch out her forelegs, and, shutting her eyes, be "as dead as a hedgehog" in a moment. But if her driver did not take up his position under her side, she would lift her head, gaze at him reproachfully, and whinny earnestly, as if imploring him to make baste. No sooner had the shell exploded than Polly was up again ready for work. When the Battery left Gallipoli Polly was still well and happy, and, while going through Egypt gave birth to a small Polly, who promises to be quite as clever as her mother.
Polly senior has one great failing, and that is a great love of eggs. She will steal and eat every egg that she sees, and if she catches sight of a hen, stalks the bird until she discovers the nest. She has even been known to stalk the cook returning from market with eggs for the officers' breakfast, and to commandeer some before he realised what she was seeking. One of the amusements of the camp is to show Polly an egg, and then hide it when she .is not looking. Her search for the tit-bit is very thorough, and always successful, while the camp looks on and enjoys the fun.
The Tortoise Derby
Small mud turtles found in the marshes and swamps somewhere on one of the battle fronts are frequently captured, and create much amusement in the damp and water-logged trenches. Small tortoises are used for racing, and as they make exceedingly perverse "racers" there is a certain. amount of amusement to be gained by watching the creatures steadily plodding onwards. It is impossible to bet with certainty on any winner, but one of the sights of a certain camp is to watch twenty or thirty tortoises being started for a race of a dozen yards. The tortoises take kindly to captivity, though apparently having no affection for their owners, for if by chance they break their tethers they depart without a word of farewell.
One captive marched around and around the enclosure in which he was confined until he had worn a pathway in the sand almost deep enough to hide himself between the sides.
Cats' Charmed Lives
Cats are often to be found in the trenches. Some even penetrate into' the fire trenches. They are curiously unafraid of shell fire, and love to bask in the sun on the edge of the parapets, and decline to be kept under cover. One great, orange- coloured cat apparently led for a time a charmed life, for he hunted mice and birds among the wire .entanglements of No Man's Land, and frequently walked along the parapet to enjoy a scrap with the tabby oat next door. These two never met without an exchange of opinions that would have done credit to a suburban back yard.
When the scrap was over both cats retired to their own portion of the trenches, each evidently considering that he had conquered the "foe." Neither of the two paid the least attention to the sputter and whine of shell and bullet, but would sit and wash their faces and clean their fur with scrupulous care. If, however, a bullet struck the parapet close at hand, and showered mud or sand over them, their indignation was extreme, and both would retreat into the trench expressing their feelings by spitting fiercely and waving huge fluffy tails.
Alas, one day the great orange cat ventured too tar across No Man's Land, and a German bullet wounded him seriously. The poor cat could not get back to his anxious friends in the trench, and lay out among the entanglements mewing sadly for help. When night came a Tommy crawled out and brought in the wounded animal. A vet among the soldiers bound up the wounds and the orange cat was nursed back to health and strength, in a tiny dug-out made specially for him, by the Tommies.
Strange to say his ancient enemy, the tabby cat next door, apparently missing the orange cart, came along the parapet to investigate, and sat and cleaned himself on the orange cat's special sandbag. Now, the Tommies are wondering what will happen when the orange cat recovers sufficiently to take an interest in life once more. They are expecting a terrific encounter between the two and are already betting upon the result.
The Real Goose Step
Frequently ducks and geese, purchased to fatten for the table, have developed into great pets. One goose has become so knowing that she turns out when the 'battalion is paraded and stands solemnly watching them. Nothing pleases her better than to march up and down keeping guard with the sentry, while when on the march she takes her place quits contentedly on top of the baggage wagon. She has not been taken into the fire line yet, but when the battalion's turn comes to take up its, position there it is possible that Goosey will insist on being among the Tommies.
Another battalion possesses a “tame duck" while a number of fantail pigeons share with their owner the rigours of trench warfare, and it looks strange to see a pair of fantails preening and sunning themselves on the edge of the parapet.
They are, however, caught and carefully caged when the Germans show any signs of strafing.
Peace Birds at the War
Many doves and pigeons are to be found at the "rest camps," each regiment on returning to the fire trenches recommending the care of their pets to the soldiers who are following them. One cage containing doves bore the following legend: "Take care of these; they are harmless."
Lark, thrushes and 'blackbirds are also numbered among the pets to be found at the front.
- left : a pet bird
- right : feeding pet rabbits in the trenches