Great Deeds of the Great War 3
Great Deeds of the Great War
Pets in War
AFTER the war broke out, many soldiers' dogs could be seen wandering about the streets, looking anxious and lonely.
They kept searching for their masters, who used to pet them and take them out for such jolly scampers almost every evening. Those of the dogs which were tied up in backyards fretted a good deal and became very dull and sad.
A pretty story is told about a clever terrier which ran off from home in Hammersmith, London, and made his way to the front, where he found his master, Private Brown of the 1st North Staffordshire Regiment. After leaving the house the terrier went to the barracks and looked about for Brown. He also ran through the streets and peered into the faces of men in army uniform. At last he saw a draft of soldiers marching to Victoria Station, and followed them. He made friends with these men, as if he knew they were going to the place where his master was. Before the train started the terrier jumped into a compartment. The soldiers made a fuss with him, and took him across the English Channel with them to France.
In time this clever dog reached the trenches and actually found where the North Staffordshires were stationed. A soldier who thought he knew the terrier was very kind, to him, and one day brought him by accident to Private Brown. The wanderer at once sprang towards his master, barking with delight, and jumped about him in a state of great excitement. Brown was much surprised and pleased to meet his pet terrier once again.
Another faithful dog was Bruce, the wise old terrier owned by Captain Loxley of the battleship Formidable. This vessel foundered in the English Channel after being struck by two torpedoes fired by a German submarine. When it was sinking, Captain Loxley stood on the bridge, with Bruce at his heels, and said to the men: "Keep cool and be British. There's lots of life in the old ship yet." Boats were lowered to take off as many men as possible, and one tar wanted to save the captain's pet.
"Come on, Bruce," he called softly.
"Go on, old fellow," said Captain Loxley.
But Bruce refused to leave his post. He looked in his master's face and wagged his tail, and Captain Loxley patted him lovingly. When the Formidable sank, Bruce went down with his master to a watery grave.
One of the sailors, named Cowan, who was found floating in the sea after the battleship sank, had his life saved by a crossbred collie called Lassie. Cowan was taken ashore at Lyme Regis and carried to the Pilot Boat Hotel. There he was laid on the floor, for it was thought that he had died from the terrible sufferings endured for several hours in the cold sea. Lassie walked into the room and sniffed at Cowan. Then she lay down beside him and began to lick his face. Everyone wondered to see her showing so much regard for a man who was believed to be lifeless.
Half an hour went. past, and still the collie attended to Cowan. Then a wonderful thing happened. The seaman who seemed to be dead made a slight movement. Lassie became a little excited; she gave a low bark of joy, and went on licking with greater vigour than ever. It was then seen that Cowan was not dead. The constant licking and the warmth of the collie's body had caused his blood to circulate once again, and ere long he opened his eyes and. sat up. Lassie sprang to her feet and, wagging her tail, barked once or twice, as if to say: "I'm glad, I'm glad you are. not dead."
Lassie has become quite famous. She was exhibited at a dog show in London, and hundreds of people went to see her. A laurel wreath was placed on her head and a medal hung on her collar.
In Belgium, where the war has broken up many homes, house hold pets have suffered greatly. An officer has told in one of his letters from the front about a poor little black dog which he saw among the ruins of a large farm-house close to the British trenches. The soldiers were very kind to him, and when they gathered behind the house walls at night, before going out to relieve their comrades, they petted him and offered him food. But the poor little dog refused to eat. He ran from one soldier to another, but would not stay with anyone. Then he darted once again through the barns and stables and into the tumble-down rooms of the farm-house, searching for those he knew and loved in happier times. Some of the soldiers wanted to take the lost pet away with them, but were unable to catch him. He remained at the farm- house until at length he died of hunger and a broken heart.
In another ruined house a Hampshire soldier found a pretty little canary. There was a ticket on the cage on which someone had written: "Please look after this little bird." The soldier took it into the trenches and hung the cage in a fairly safe place. The bird became quite cheerful and began to sing. "When we leave the trench wrote the Hampshire soldier, '' we hand it over to the next regiment. So you may guess it is made quite a fuss of. Last time we went into the trenches our canary was almost black, through the smoke from shell-fire, but it seems as cheerful as ever. I should like so much to send it home. It's awfully funny, but while the shells are whizzing overhead, our canary takes no notice and sings beautifully.
"Two days ago we had another visitor-a poor old sheep-dog, blind in one eye. We made it quite welcome and fed it. When we left the trenches it followed us in the dark for about half a mile, and then we lost it.
"Our canary is sticking it like a brick. He is quite cheerful, and has been singing beautifully all this morning. Really 'he gets so black with smoke that it's a job to distinguish him from a sparrow.
A Scotch collie, which was found at a deserted farm-house near the River Aisne, followed a battalion 0£ Highland soldiers for several days, and crept along the trenches to be patted and fed by them.
One of the Camerons took a great fancy to him, and the two became fast friends. The fighting grew very severe, and the Highlanders found it necessary to retreat some distance, to take up a stronger position. As they were falling back, the Cameron missed the collie.
"I'm not going to leave him behind," he said.
"Whistle for him," a comrade suggested, "and he'll follow us all right."
"He's lying asleep in the trench," answered the Cameron, who at once began to hasten back to look for his pet.
The kilted soldier found the collie all right. Apparently the animal had been wounded, for the man's comrades saw him returning with his pet in his arms.
Some German cavalrymen, called Uhlans, came riding forward swiftly and surrounded the Cameron Highlander. He laid down the dog and seized his rifle to fight, but he was speedily overpowered.
Both the Highlander and his collie were killed; but after darkness fell, their bodies were recovered and laid together in the same grave.
