Matt Dixon Posted 24 November , 2004 Share Posted 24 November , 2004 Found this article on Yahoo news, in my opinion only a good thing. LONDON (Reuters) - The country's most unusual war heroes -- including glow worms, elephants and monkeys -- have been honoured today for their devotion to duty under fire. Princess Anne will unveil a war memorial in London's Park Lane on Wednesday dedicated to all the animals and insects that endured hardship with the nation's armed services. "Britain's Animals in War memorial is a nation's long-awaited and very welcome tribute to the millions of animals that have served and suffered for their country," said Marilyn Rydstrom, head of the PDSA animal charity. Among those honoured will be glow worms whose light was used by soldiers to read maps during the trench warfare of World War One. The stone memorial bears the profiles of creatures from bears to monkeys -- kept by soldiers as mascots -- and will be the nation's most prominent tribute to animal bravery. In 1943 the founder of the PDSA created the Dickin Medal to honour acts of outstanding animal bravery. The medal, dubbed "the animals' Victoria Cross" -- the highest award for human bravery -- has been granted to 60 animals. One distinguished holder of the medal was Rob, the "para dog" who made over 20 parachute drops while serving on top secret missions behind enemy lines in World War Two. Another brave canine was Ricky, who continued to work clearing mines in Holland despite severe head injuries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Noble Posted 24 November , 2004 Share Posted 24 November , 2004 Matt. Flicking through some editions of 'I was there' etc., there was a home for horses, situated at South Mimms. Apparently, thats where they ended their last days in comfort. I know it's a bit off topic, but, i think they deserved it. Some wonderful photos in Volume 1. Regards, Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchwalker Posted 25 November , 2004 Share Posted 25 November , 2004 yeah it still there today (south mimms) also there is the memoiral to all the dogs and cats kept at battersea dogs home during the war Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 25 November , 2004 Share Posted 25 November , 2004 The Royal Veterinary College is near South Mimms, which perhaps explains why the site was chosen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curranl Posted 25 November , 2004 Share Posted 25 November , 2004 Hello All, Glow worms used for map reading in the trenches of WW1??? I have several problems with this one. First, which trenches? As far as I know, glow worms are native to warmish parts of the world; I would have thought that the Western Front, at least, was far too cold (even in summer) for glow worms to survive. Second, how do you train a glow worm to stay still enough to read a map? I can just see a platoon crossing No Man's Land at night, under machine gun, shrapnel and rifle fire, when their officer has to stop to put the lead on the glow worm so he can use it to read a map Sorry, but this one has the ring of a shaggy dog story about it. It sounds like someone, somewhere decided that it might be a good idea - but was it ever tried in reality?? Regards from a glow worm free West Coast of Ireland. Liam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Cooper Posted 25 November , 2004 Share Posted 25 November , 2004 Found this article on Yahoo news, in my opinion only a good thing. Some elements of the media have been a bit sniffy and dismissive of this whole issue, but as students of the Great War we are probably more aware than most of the public of the non-human contributions to that conflict, as well as to previous, subsequent, and even present ones: BBC News: Sniffing out bomb danger (Sunday, 14 November, 2004) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatterySergeantMajor Posted 25 November , 2004 Share Posted 25 November , 2004 A few years ago some local people had plans to erect a monument for the animals who served WW1 in Zillebeke, near Ieper/ Ypres. I think they didn't manage to make it happen, nothing is heard about it anymore. Erwin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J T Gray Posted 25 November , 2004 Share Posted 25 November , 2004 Well, you get glow worms in the UK - further north than most of the Western Front , though with milder winters than continental Europe,- and I can vouch for their presence in France because I have seen them in Les Alpes Mancelles (? - long time since I was there!) near Alencon. I cannot help thinking, though, that anyone trying to read a map by a glow worm would be invalided out with crossed eyes VERY quickly - try reading a map by the light from a mobile phone (use a green-light one) and see what I mean. And that's a lot brighter than a glow worm. Several in a jar - perhaps? Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchwalker Posted 25 November , 2004 Share Posted 25 November , 2004 actually from what i have read they were used in thwe other theatres of battle dsuch as mesopatian and gallopli. i think they were just used as genreal lighing in dugouts and tunnels etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Dixon Posted 25 November , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 November , 2004 I do recall reading that glowworms were used to guide tanks, whether it's true or not I don't know. This is a subject very close to my heart, I do a speech on Animal Heroes and Villains of the Great War, this sort of thing is well over due. I even confess to reading a Jilly Cooper book........! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrislock Posted 25 November , 2004 Share Posted 25 November , 2004 I remember my tank was once hull down in a killing zone for ages! My airmail envelopes had dried out and whilst writing a letter home one night, I had to wipe a very helpful slug across the sealing strip to glue it down! Saved the day I can tell you, phew!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn Gibson Posted 25 November , 2004 Share Posted 25 November , 2004 I think this is wonderful. It's about time the contribution they made was recognised by more than a handful of people, and their contribution was a very significant one......and anyway I think the animals are too modest to have erected one for themselves. Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 25 November , 2004 Share Posted 25 November , 2004 There are two in the Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh Castle. One to tunneller's mice and canaries. One to "Remember also the humble beasts". See http://www.snwm.org/website/tour/index.html Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward_N_Kelly Posted 26 November , 2004 Share Posted 26 November , 2004 There is of course the memorial to the horses of the Light Horse Regiments of WWI located in close proximity to the memorial to the Light Horse themselves, in Adelaide, South Australia. Not a bad summary at: Light Horse Memorial, Adelaide (Don't be alarmed at the top photo - it is not leaning that way ! It is perfectly upright but a combination of learner photographer and wide angle lens have produced the effect - I know the person that took it (and it was not me!)) Cheers Edward Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchwalker Posted 26 November , 2004 Share Posted 26 November , 2004 animal villians aggghhhhh dam wasps whilst on the mons march my sargeant was wounded on his tongue when a wasp flew into his bottle of beer. as for heros a chicken which layed its life down for us in scotland and was devoired in around 10 seconds flat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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