CarylW Posted 1 August , 2010 Author Share Posted 1 August , 2010 As an adjunct to cats in the trenches, I wonder whether some units also took ferrets with them into the trenches - not only as companions and vermin exterminators but perhaps also to work at tasks like carrying pilot lines through narrow openings, or even air-lines into collapsed mine workings.....snipped. Ferrets being sent to the trenches (changed title of thread to avoid confusion between other threads!) Caryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarylW Posted 2 August , 2010 Author Share Posted 2 August , 2010 Caption reads: ""Tiny" a donkey found dying on the roadside by the 26th Divisional train at Salonika. He was cared for and adopted as a mascot" Do members anyone want to see/hear any more of these, or are you all fed up to the back teeth with the whole subject? Caryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMarsdin Posted 4 August , 2010 Share Posted 4 August , 2010 Good morning All, With apologies to Gwyn, here is Dragon......and did they really have camels on the Western Front ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 4 August , 2010 Share Posted 4 August , 2010 What's happened to 26th Division's donkey Caryl? 26th Division doesn't get a look-in very often. The units in Salonika were always taking in waifs and strays. There is one story of a poor malnourished and overworked horse that was literally on its last legs when brought into one of 28th Division's camps. I think the onwers expected they could devise some kind of miracle to restore him to working fitness. The vets decided there was nothing they could do, but (if I remember the story correctly) the officer ordered that it be kept with the units horses for at least one night to enjoy some rest and kindness prior to the inevitable coup de grace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarylW Posted 4 August , 2010 Author Share Posted 4 August , 2010 What's happened to 26th Division's donkey Caryl? 26th Division doesn't get a look-in very often. Only the photo and caption were on the page Kate (War Illustrated) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarylW Posted 5 August , 2010 Author Share Posted 5 August , 2010 Caption reads "Humane Huns: German soldiers feeding a puppy from a bottle in the hope that it will become a regimental mascot" Steve is the photo on the left a picture of a camel? Can't quite make it out Caryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battle bowler Posted 9 August , 2010 Share Posted 9 August , 2010 Hi all Although being a confirmed "cat man", I just remembered that our New Zealand Medical Corps used the services of a bull terrier (?)"Caesar" to locate the wounded in No Mans' Land. A very nice lady called Patricia Stroud wrote a kids' book about his deeds and his collar is in our Auckland War Memorial Museum. You might be able locate the artifact and or mention of the book. Needless to say, you will need to reach for a hanky at the end of the story as he didn't make it back. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarylW Posted 16 August , 2010 Author Share Posted 16 August , 2010 More c*ts in the trenches. The mascot of the York and Lancaster regiment certainly earned his keep! twenty rats in an hour! Caryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battle bowler Posted 17 August , 2010 Share Posted 17 August , 2010 Hi Caryl No Caesar did exist trust me! http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/ Can I urge anyone to go and have a look at the above website? I am really proud of what they do and the stuff they have. Next to a Museum like Waiouru or the one in New Plymouth (Puke Ariki) it is the best one going. Better still, save up the money, come here in 2011 (there's something happening here next year but I don't know WHAT it is..... ) Go to visit ALL of our museums! If you want to pursue the animal thing (I am still a "cat man"!) look for "Pelorous Jack" who was a mascot on board one of our battleships (I'm not a Navy historian but I think it was HMS New Zealand. This ship served at Jutland and the captain was told to wear a Maori cloak in battle and hold a greenstone "patu" (club) and no harm would befall the ship. He did, and it didn't! Challenge: look at the above website and tell me what you think (all opinions OK!) Cheers Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Eyden Posted 16 March , 2011 Share Posted 16 March , 2011 I thought you may enjoy this little ferrety snippet. I discovered it today in the records of the Dover Telegraph dated 6th October 1915: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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