geraint Posted 17 September , 2023 Share Posted 17 September , 2023 With the news items about 15 stone XL Bully dogs savaging and killing members of the public; it made me consider as to whether such dogs were bred before and during the Great War for military purpose. We're all well aware that bear and bull baiting, as well as dog fighting goes back centuries. Was there a British Army canine unit breeding and training such animals for war? I've seen plenty of photos of soldiers with dog pets, but these are certainly not fighting hounds. A point of passing interest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 18 September , 2023 Share Posted 18 September , 2023 (edited) 15 hours ago, geraint said: With the news items about 15 stone XL Bully dogs savaging and killing members of the public; it made me consider as to whether such dogs were bred before and during the Great War for military purpose. We're all well aware that bear and bull baiting, as well as dog fighting goes back centuries. Was there a British Army canine unit breeding and training such animals for war? I've seen plenty of photos of soldiers with dog pets, but these are certainly not fighting hounds. A point of passing interest! No, there was nothing like the Bully Dogs that you mention. Edwin Hautonville Richardson, a former British Army officer and one of the world’s foremost dog trainers, having supplied them all over the world, was eventually contracted by the British Army to train dogs for military use during WW1. Initially they weren’t required for aggressive purposes, but by the end of the war they were providing guard dogs to free up much needed men from guarding duties at static facilities. There are lots of web based sources recording the history of military dogs that a search will bring up. Here is a fairly compact account that you might find of interest: https://sniffingthepast.wordpress.com/2014/07/08/training-war-dogs-the-british-experience-during-the-first-world-war/ Edited 18 September , 2023 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geraint Posted 18 September , 2023 Author Share Posted 18 September , 2023 Thanks Frogsmile. Excellent and succinct article. One can always rely on you for informative and detailed information. Thanks again, and for all those other postings of yours in the past! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 18 September , 2023 Share Posted 18 September , 2023 22 minutes ago, geraint said: Thanks Frogsmile. Excellent and succinct article. One can always rely on you for informative and detailed information. Thanks again, and for all those other postings of yours in the past! I’m pleased to help Geraint, especially a fellow enthusiast and contributor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRC Posted 19 September , 2023 Share Posted 19 September , 2023 While checking the Red Cross site I came across this article and remembered this thread - not fighting dogs, if anything the exact opposite, but a great story https://www.redcross.org.uk/stories/our-movement/our-history/first-aiders-on-four-legs A few more images here https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/doing-their-bit-mercy-dogs-wwi And on the other side of the wire https://wellcomecollection.org/works/ts4qru4b Image courtesy Wikipedia - stated to be in the public domain. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercy_dog#/media/File:Ambulance_Dog.JPG The picture above was sourced from this publication - the associated text compares the approach taken by the main combatants to such "ambulance dogs" https://archive.org/details/dogsofallnations00masorich/page/108/mode/2up?q=Ambulance&view=theater Cheers, Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekb Posted 20 September , 2023 Share Posted 20 September , 2023 Geraint, Here are some photographs I bought along time ago, I thought that they might interest you. Two of them have writing on the reverse, but when I scan them it doesn't appear, I will have a play with them and see if I can do anything. Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekb Posted 20 September , 2023 Share Posted 20 September , 2023 Geraint, I should have mentioned that they all came together from a family in Germany, I have attached the reverse scans, if you save them I think that you will be able to open them. It would be interesting to see what is written on the back. D German WW1 Medics and Dog F Reverse.pdf German WW1 Medics and Dog A reverse.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 20 September , 2023 Share Posted 20 September , 2023 21 minutes ago, derekb said: Geraint, I should have mentioned that they all came together from a family in Germany, I have attached the reverse scans, if you save them I think that you will be able to open them. It would be interesting to see what is written on the back. D German WW1 Medics and Dog F Reverse.pdf 96.84 kB · 0 downloads German WW1 Medics and Dog A reverse.pdf 137.79 kB · 0 downloads I’m sure that @GreyC and @knittinganddeath will find these photos of interest too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geraint Posted 20 September , 2023 Author Share Posted 20 September , 2023 Peter and Derek Thanks very much for sharing those photos and sites. Its aa good feeling finding humanity, compassion and caring attitudes amongst the slaughter and inhumanity of the war. The German family photos were very poignant, and though I can read English, Welsh and simple French, handwritten German is beyond me. Thanks to all for an extremely interesting compilation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 20 September , 2023 Share Posted 20 September , 2023 55 minutes ago, geraint said: Peter and Derek Thanks very much for sharing those photos and sites. Its aa good feeling finding humanity, compassion and caring attitudes amongst the slaughter and inhumanity of the war. The German family photos were very poignant, and though I can read English, Welsh and simple French, handwritten German is beyond me. Thanks to all for an extremely interesting compilation. Those whom I’ve flagged to draw their attention might well be able to help with the handwritten German in due course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geraint Posted 20 September , 2023 Author Share Posted 20 September , 2023 39 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said: Those whom I’ve flagged to draw their attention might well be able to help with the handwritten German in due course. Excellent! Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRC Posted 20 September , 2023 Share Posted 20 September , 2023 More on the German use of Ambulance Dogs here and how their use developed in Germany, France and Britain can be found here http://doglawreporter.blogspot.com/2011/07/red-cross-iron-cross-ambulance-dogs-in.html Cheers, Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knittinganddeath Posted 20 September , 2023 Share Posted 20 September , 2023 5 hours ago, derekb said: It would be interesting to see what is written on the back. First one is "Suchübung um Säbelwald am 16.11.17" then a place name and in parentheses: Lothr[ingen] (e.g. Lorraine). The card will take a bit longer, but at first glance it is quite normal correspondence, he says he hopes his family is well, he received a package and his address will stay the same for the time being. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyC Posted 20 September , 2023 Share Posted 20 September , 2023 (edited) You beat me to it. The sender, Johann Weisgerber, is part of Sanitäts-Kompanie 275 and he is Sanitätshunde-Führer, i.e. he is in charge of the dog you see in the photos. GreyC Edited 20 September , 2023 by GreyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 20 September , 2023 Share Posted 20 September , 2023 Thank you both for responding. It’s wonderful that such specialised photos connected with canine services have survived and your translation adds valuable context that would otherwise be missed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekb Posted 21 September , 2023 Share Posted 21 September , 2023 A great big thank you to everyone for your comments and translations, which I will add to my records. Derek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekb Posted 21 September , 2023 Share Posted 21 September , 2023 12 hours ago, GreyC said: You beat me to it. The sender, Johann Weisgerber, is part of Sanitäts-Kompanie 275 and he is Sanitätshunde-Führer, i.e. he is in charge of the dog you see in the photos. GreyC Presumably, that is Johann in the photo with the soldier alongside the dog? D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyC Posted 21 September , 2023 Share Posted 21 September , 2023 Presumably GreyC 11 hours ago, FROGSMILE said: thank you both for responding. Thanks for alerting me/us to these interesting photos! GreyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie2 Posted 21 September , 2023 Share Posted 21 September , 2023 Meine Lieben Hoffentlich habt Ihr meine Karte erhalten und sind noch alle gesund, was ich auch von mir sagen kann. Wie Ihr seht bleibt meine Adresse bestehen. 1 Paketchen habe ich erhalten, dafür besten Dank. Schicke Euch hiermit ein kleines Andenken von unserem letzten Quartir. Herzliche Grüße an Alle. Johann My dears I hope you received my card and are all still in good health, as I can also say about myself. As you can see, my address remains the same. I have received 1 parcel, for which I thank you very much. I am sending you a small souvenir of our last quarters. Best regards to all. Johann As always subject to correction. Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 21 September , 2023 Share Posted 21 September , 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, charlie2 said: Meine Lieben Hoffentlich habt Ihr meine Karte erhalten und sind noch alle gesund, was ich auch von mir sagen kann. Wie Ihr seht bleibt meine Adresse bestehen. 1 Paketchen habe ich erhalten, dafür besten Dank. Schicke Euch hiermit ein kleines Andenken von unserem letzten Quartir. Herzliche Grüße an Alle. Johann My dears I hope you received my card and are all still in good health, as I can also say about myself. As you can see, my address remains the same. I have received 1 parcel, for which I thank you very much. I am sending you a small souvenir of our last quarters. Best regards to all. Johann As always subject to correction. Charlie Thank you for taking the time to explain that Charlie. It always strikes me how these brief postcards are internationalised in their nature, usually with brief exchange of greetings and news of health, along with updates regarding parcels sent and received (or not). It really exemplifies the humanity, folly, and human cost of war. Edited 21 September , 2023 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie2 Posted 21 September , 2023 Share Posted 21 September , 2023 20 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said: It really exemplifies the humanity, folly, and human cost of war. Doesn‘t it just, everyone fighting a right and just war with God on their side. Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 21 September , 2023 Share Posted 21 September , 2023 Just now, charlie2 said: Doesn‘t it just, everyone fighting a right and just war with God on their side. Charlie And please send me a cake and some socks…. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geraint Posted 21 September , 2023 Author Share Posted 21 September , 2023 Thank you one and all for your contributions and translations. The original (almost glib) theme of this thread has turned into a very sincere and moving topic. Thanks all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekb Posted 21 September , 2023 Share Posted 21 September , 2023 1 hour ago, charlie2 said: Meine Lieben Hoffentlich habt Ihr meine Karte erhalten und sind noch alle gesund, was ich auch von mir sagen kann. Wie Ihr seht bleibt meine Adresse bestehen. 1 Paketchen habe ich erhalten, dafür besten Dank. Schicke Euch hiermit ein kleines Andenken von unserem letzten Quartir. Herzliche Grüße an Alle. Johann My dears I hope you received my card and are all still in good health, as I can also say about myself. As you can see, my address remains the same. I have received 1 parcel, for which I thank you very much. I am sending you a small souvenir of our last quarters. Best regards to all. Johann As always subject to correction. Charlie Thank you Charlie2 Derekb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry Posted 6 April Share Posted 6 April Would you know if British soldiers used mercy dogs in the Ypres Salient in early 1915? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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