greatspywar Posted 16 June , 2009 Share Posted 16 June , 2009 Hi all, I have a question. I am looking for information on a lion, named Poilu. He was supposed to be the divisional mascot of the 19th Division which was in Flanders in 1917. It appears that the few locals who still were in the area did not like it, having such a mascot around their house and called for the gendarmerie to take the animal away. Quite an incredible story it seems. Who knows more about the lion? All the best, Jan Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and of Military History, Brussels, Belgium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesmessenger Posted 16 June , 2009 Share Posted 16 June , 2009 Jan General Tom Bridges, the divisional commander, acquired as a cub in Paris in spring 1916. He often used to accompany the General in his staff car. He was apparently very friendly. When Bridges was severely wounded, losing his leg, Poilu was sent back to a private zoo in England, where he lived until the age of 19. Charles M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bantamforgot Posted 16 June , 2009 Share Posted 16 June , 2009 Thanks Charles for the info. on the lion , I had heard about it but not the details. Are you aware of the origin of the "Butterfly" emblem given to the 19th. Division by General Tom Bridges? Cheers. Colin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob lembke Posted 17 June , 2009 Share Posted 17 June , 2009 Hermann Goering, as a WW I fighter pilot, had a lion cub at the front in WW I. I have seen a photo of it and him sharing his cockpit (on the ground). Bob Lembke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 17 June , 2009 Share Posted 17 June , 2009 Not sure if it is a myth but when bridges lost his leg he apparently told them to give it to the lion! Regards Arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greatspywar Posted 17 June , 2009 Author Share Posted 17 June , 2009 Hi all, Thank you very much for the replies. Do you have a source for that? We are presently occupied with writing a catalogue on our temporary exhibition 'Animals at war', and units and their mascots is one of the chapters. We had heard about the lion, but were not sure about the details. Interesting story tough! Thanks again, Jan Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and of Military History, Brussels - Belgium www.klm-mra.be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob lembke Posted 17 June , 2009 Share Posted 17 June , 2009 Also, Rommel, as a junior but distinguished infantry officer in WW I, had a pet fox, and there is a nice photo about of Rommel seated in a dugout with the fox curled up comfortably in his lap. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesmessenger Posted 17 June , 2009 Share Posted 17 June , 2009 Jan I don't know the reason for 19 Div's butterfly, but it originated with Gen Bridges in spring 1916. As for a source for Poilu I would recommend Bridges' own book Alarms & Excursions: Reminiscences of a Soldier, which was published by Longman Green, London in 1938. Charles M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greatspywar Posted 17 June , 2009 Author Share Posted 17 June , 2009 Charles, Thank you very much! all the best, Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greatspywar Posted 17 June , 2009 Author Share Posted 17 June , 2009 Alarms & Excursions: Reminiscences of a Soldier Does anyone has this book and would be able to scan some pages for me? We have quite an extensive library on various topics, but Bridges book is not present. Who can help us? Thanks, once again, Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 17 June , 2009 Share Posted 17 June , 2009 There are a couple of copies on Abebooks UK and not hideously expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greatspywar Posted 17 June , 2009 Author Share Posted 17 June , 2009 Thank you, but it is the timing... . :-) regards, Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 17 June , 2009 Share Posted 17 June , 2009 Jan, The lion was mentioned in this thread a few years ago. Enter Animals / pets / pigeons / horses / dogs etc etc into the Search box (top right of screen) and you will find hundreds of threads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesmessenger Posted 17 June , 2009 Share Posted 17 June , 2009 Alarms & Excursions: Reminiscences of a Soldier Does anyone has this book and would be able to scan some pages for me? We have quite an extensive library on various topics, but Bridges book is not present. Who can help us? Thanks, once again, Jan Jan Alas, I do not have a copy, but good luck. Some Forumite must possess it. Charles M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesmessenger Posted 17 June , 2009 Share Posted 17 June , 2009 Jan Further to my last I can cite a page number in the Bridges book. It is p145. If you PM me with your e-mail address I can send you a scan of part of what Bridges wrote about Poilu, which is taken from my book all to Arms. Charles M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff2050 Posted 17 June , 2009 Share Posted 17 June , 2009 Hi all, Thank you very much for the replies. Do you have a source for that? We are presently occupied with writing a catalogue on our temporary exhibition 'Animals at war', and units and their mascots is one of the chapters. We had heard about the lion, but were not sure about the details. Interesting story tough! Thanks again, Jan Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and of Military History, Brussels - Belgium www.klm-mra.be Jan One of the most famous mascots in WW1 was Winne the bear trapped and sold to Captain Harry Colebourn who was passing through the town of White river Ontario, Winnie became the regimental mascot and the source of the Winnie the Pooh books. Winne was not the only bear from Canada to go overseas. Ablack bear named Teddy from the Bruce peninsula became the mascot of the 160th Bruce Battalion. Teddy ended is days in London zoo. Their are many stories on mascots on the web including the above which was found on htt://military.brucemuseum.ca Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey Winter-Biggs Posted 16 March , 2018 Share Posted 16 March , 2018 The photo below is of Poilu at Maidstone Zoo, Sandling with the owner Sir H Garrard Tyrwhitt Drake. It's in his book My Life With Animals (out of print) I've scanned through the book but I can't quickly see anything in there written about the lion, although I'm sure I've read about him somewhere! I live across the road from where the Zoo was. You could try and contact The Museum of Kent Life, Sandling which I believe holds all sorts of records about Tyrwhitt Drake. He died leaving a lot of land and collections to the people of Maidstone. The other picture is an excerpt from the book Tommy's Ark, by Richard van Emden which I found just now on Google. If you google Poilu War Lion, lots of articles pop up which if you put them all together would make very interesting reading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heid the Ba Posted 16 March , 2018 Share Posted 16 March , 2018 According to Carton de Wiart the commander of the Somali Camel Corp had a tame cheetah which was killed by Somali farmers after it attacked their goats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 22 April , 2018 Share Posted 22 April , 2018 Poilu's grave at Cobtree Manor Park in Maidstone (formally the site if the Maidstone Zoo). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 10 June , 2018 Share Posted 10 June , 2018 On 16/06/2009 at 16:16, greatspywar said: Hi all, I have a question. I am looking for information on a lion, named Poilu. He was supposed to be the divisional mascot of the 19th Division which was in Flanders in 1917. It appears that the few locals who still were in the area did not like it, having such a mascot around their house and called for the gendarmerie to take the animal away. Quite an incredible story it seems. Who knows more about the lion? All the best, Jan Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and of Military History, Brussels, Belgium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 10 June , 2018 Share Posted 10 June , 2018 Today my son and I visited Cobtree Manor park which used to be Maidstone Zoo. We found out that Poilu was here and we found his headstone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey Winter-Biggs Posted 10 September , 2018 Share Posted 10 September , 2018 Poilu’ - The Lion Cub Mascot of 19th Division, British Army *Produced by me for our Flower Show at Boxley, September 2018 - Please feel free to have a look at my Facebook Page: Boxley War Memorial Kent its not just about our War Memorial but the whole Parish Poilu - meaning hairy one in French, also nickname for French Infantry soldier "I think for a lion, he had seen life"- Sir H G Tyrwhitt Drake “Always the perfect gentleman, he contrived to die on 19th June 1935, aged 19, The Mascot of the 19th Division"- General Tom Bridges. He was born in 1916 in a French travelling menagerie. At about 3 months old, Poilu was put up for auction at a Red Cross fundraiser where he was purchased for around 10,000 francs. While on leave in Paris, General Tom Bridges was offered Poilu as Mascot to the 19th Division. He then brought him back in a picnic hamper to the surprise of his staff. The lion became thoroughly tame and would follow Bridges around like a dog. When he was about the size of a Retriever he was allocated part of an army lorry for his travelling cage. When they were able or likely to be in one place for a few days he had the benefit of a portable run of wire netting for exercise. This was not all the exercise he received because he was regularly allowed to go for a walk right up to the Front Line Trenches! He wasn't scared of the bombardment but he didn't like the sound of army lorries and would run for his life to open country. He was well loved by the troops, and a great morale booster. Looked after by the Generals Aid de Camp, who would telegraph along the lines to find any dead horses for him to eat, a van would then be sent to collect a haunch. General Bridges:- "My Headquarters were in dugouts in Scherpenberg Hill a prominent point, where distinguished visitors would come and actually see shells bursting. Such callers were frequent and very often dropped in for refreshment. Mr Asquith came one day but his climb to the hill-top was interrupted by meeting Poilu face-to-face. He said "I may be wrong but did I see a lion in the path?" Major T.J. Edwards - The Army Quarterly, Volume LXVI, April and June, 1953 For some time he lived right under the German guns at Boombezeele, whose inhabitants viewed him with disgust and sought the aid of the Gendarmerie to have him removed as they feared he might pounce upon their children to assuage his enormous appetite. He followed General Bridges like a dog, quite loose and not on a leash, and if any natives saw him coming their way they would rush for cover or shin up the nearest tree. Stolid army mules that never turned a hair under the heaviest enemy bombardment were galvanized into life at the sight of Poilu. Kitchens and meat stores were particular objects of his interest and the hearts of master cooks did not beat anything like normal until he was well away. He had the run of the officers' mess, but once, having committed a misdemeanour, he was banished to the mess garden as a punishment. During lunch-time he happened to spy one of his favourite dishes being brought in and placed on the mess table. In an instant he jumped through the French windows, smashing them to pieces, and with his mane glistening with broken glass he mounted the table, seized his prize and returned to the garden with it via the smashed windows. Poilu was not persona gratis with the hierarchy at G.H.Q. General Bridges received from his friends at court several hints that if young Leo was not sent away from the Division there would be trouble, but the only answer he sent to those well-wishers was "Come and take him." On 20th September 1917 General Bridges was wounded and eventually had his leg amputated. His replacement didn't fancy having a lion roaming around. Garrard Tyrwhitt Drake received a letter asking if he would accept Poilu as a permanent addition to his zoological collection. In October, Tyrwhitt Drake received a telegram to say that Poilu was crossing the Channel that afternoon and was due at Maidstone East Station at 9pm. He was transported by torpedo-boat destroyer in a very rough crossing which saw his crate stoved in on one side, poor Poilu was nearly washed overboard. "The sight of the cub following Sir Tom Bridges in the trenches must have cheered the soldiers and made them feel that they had the British Lion with them, both in person and spirit". - Sir H G Tyrwhitt Drake He settled in to Zoo life and a Belgian lady lion tamer attempted to 'train' him. However he didn't think much of this and promptly bit her in a delicate area, sitting down was uncomfortable for some days, that section of his education was deferred! In February of 1919 Tyrwhitt Drake was demobbed and took charge of Poilu, who was "quiet, amiable and delighted to welcome me into his cage". He was introduced to a black Great Dane for company which worked well until she started bossing him around and pinching his food, they were then separated. In January 1922 he caught a chill while at the Agricultural Hall, London. They did all they could to help him even putting an electric stove in his cage. He developed an abscess in his throat and after seven days when they thought they were going to lose him the abscess thankfully burst and he even seemed grateful for all they had done for him, becoming his old cheery self again. Now a fully grown lion he was happy and quiet enough for Tyrwhitt Drake to still enter his cage to stroke and caress him, "he was always devoted to me". During his lifetime he successfully fathered cubs with three different lionesses and died on 19th June 1935 of old age. The 19th Division Battles 1916 The Battle of Albert* in which the Division captured La Boisselle The attacks on High Wood* The Battle of Pozieres Ridge* The Battle of the Ancre Heights* The Battle of the Ancre* The battles marked * are phases of the Battles of the Somme 1916 1917 The Battle of Messines The Battle of the Menin Road Ridge*** The Battle of Polygon Wood*** The Battle of Broodseinde*** The Battle of Poelcapelle*** First Battle of Passchendaele*** The Second Battle of Passchendaele*** The battles marked *** are phases of the Third Battles of Ypres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjamin thyla Posted 13 May , 2021 Share Posted 13 May , 2021 amazing!! I thought a baboon in the frontline was quite shocking, but a lion... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjamin thyla Posted 24 May , 2022 Share Posted 24 May , 2022 Hi all, regarding Poilu, why is there carved 1934 on his Headstone, while "everybody" keeps mentioning 1935? grtz, Benjamin Thyla Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now