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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Cat-to-humans ratio?


RobL

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Was there a stated ratio of ships cats-to-humans on warships? HMS Mary Rose, a destroyer, judging by this photo had four cats and a dog (assuming they were all from Mary Rose) which seems rather excessive for a ship of just 80 or so men. Any thoughts?

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205307694

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I'm pretty sure it was random from nil upward but I have a colleague whose speciality is ships' animals and will ask.

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Not a common feature in the Oz navy. Of all the ships I served on only one had an animal on board and that was a monkey. Weren't allowed to bring it back to Australia because of quarantine laws.

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I know it's out of our time slot; HMS Amethyst had one. (Isn't it depressing that I can remember that!)

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Amethyst's cat was Simon, awarded the Dicken medal.

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Able Seacat Simon was wounded by the same Chinese shell that killed Skinner, Amethyst's captain (before Kerans took over).

He survived, but died of wounds whilst in quarantine in London. He is commemorated by a bush at the National Memorial Arboretum.

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