nick ward408 Posted 20 February , 2011 Share Posted 20 February , 2011 Hi guys, Been downloading WD's of 1st Lincolnshire Regiment and came across a very interesting document enclosed from Mc Gill University, Montreal. Sorry my scanner is in workshops so had to type it, but I hope you enjoy this letter as much as I did reading it. O.IC Records, 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regt, c/o War Office, London. Dear Sir, I hope faithful mascots who die on active service have a place in your records, and in case the fate of ''Windy'' is missing I send you a paragraph from a letter written by Col John McCrae author of the famous poem, In Flanders Fields, from No. 3 Canadian General Hospital, in Boulogne, 9 January 1918. "To-day I am sorry to say that I lost a 'special' patient. A couple of months ago ''Windy'', 1st Battalion Lincoln Regt, a nice big old dog, came off the hospital train with his labels tied on his collar and his second wound- a broken leg. he had been through Gallipoli. The leg recovered, but two days ago he took suddenly ill, and in 48 hours, in spite of all we could do, he went the way of a lot of other good soldiers. He will have a decent burial and a headboard in our woods. How one hates to lose the faithful beasts!" I was registrar of the hospital at the time and well remember how ''Windy'' made himself so popular with all ranks, especially the nurses, that we were relieved that he could not be evacuated to ''Blighty'' and his own depot. He wasn't entirely buried. The interesting healed bone of his leg is now, i believe, in the War Museum in Ottawa. W.W.Francis, M.D (Major retired) R.C.A.M.C. Anybody know anything more about ''Windy''? Lovely thing to find. REgards Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesmessenger Posted 21 February , 2011 Share Posted 21 February , 2011 Nick Yes, he was a large black mongrel, who wore his wound stripes on his collar. He was wounded with his master on 17 August 1917 at Third Ypres and passed through the evacuation chain with him, both ending up in No 3 Canadian Hospital outside Boulogne. Windy's master was evacuated back to England, but was not allowed to take the dog with him because of the quarantine laws. Windy was looked after by one of the doctors at the hospital - looks as though it was Macrae - but once his fractured leg began to mend he became bored. Being only used to soldiers he started to attack local French civilians and was eventually poisoned by one of them. My source for this Harvey Cushing 'From a Surgeon's Diary. 1915-1918' pp281-3. Charles M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Underdown Posted 21 February , 2011 Share Posted 21 February , 2011 On mascots in official records, Taffy the Goat has a medal card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick ward408 Posted 21 February , 2011 Author Share Posted 21 February , 2011 Nick Yes, he was a large black mongrel, who wore his wound stripes on his collar. He was wounded with his master on 17 August 1917 at Third Ypres and passed through the evacuation chain with him, both ending up in No 3 Canadian Hospital outside Boulogne. Windy's master was evacuated back to England, but was not allowed to take the dog with him because of the quarantine laws. Windy was looked after by one of the doctors at the hospital - looks as though it was Macrae - but once his fractured leg began to mend he became bored. Being only used to soldiers he started to attack local French civilians and was eventually poisoned by one of them. My source for this Harvey Cushing 'From a Surgeon's Diary. 1915-1918' pp281-3. Charles M thanks for that info Charles, poor ******! still a great little story so thanks for completing the story. Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss002d6252 Posted 21 February , 2011 Share Posted 21 February , 2011 For those with ancestry - the medal card for Taffy the fourth can be found here - http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?htx=View&r=5538&dbid=1262&iid=30850_A001517-00308&fn=The&ln=Taffy&st=r&ssrc=&pid=5410172 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OpsMajor Posted 21 February , 2011 Share Posted 21 February , 2011 Didn't Macrea die of pneumonia shortly after? Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick ward408 Posted 22 February , 2011 Author Share Posted 22 February , 2011 On mascots in official records, Taffy the Goat has a medal card. Only the British would do such a thing? ( I do know the Aussies left Kangaroo's and other marsupials in Cairo zoo before they set of to Gallipoli) no wonder we are a nation of animal lovers? another legacy possibly of WW1? Nice reply, perhaps we should start a new forum on animals as they were much loved as the play '' War Horse' spells out in spades. Thanks Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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