Use of Dogs by the British Army

[trooper]

A work colleague has suggested that the British Army used Airedale Terriers in WWI but is unable to tell me what for. Can anyone help by confirming this or otherwise?

Thanks

Trooper

[Malcolm]

Trooper,

The dogs were used as messengers, sentries and guard-dogs mainly.

From notes:

The dogs of war were trained initially as ambulance dogs for the Belgian Army by Lt Col E.H.Richardson ,who had been training police dogs since 1898, and were used in September 1914 with the Belgian Army. In 1914 he escaped Belgium via Ostende from the initial advance of the German Army. Conditions on the Western Front then became impossible for ambulance dogs. The French War Office forbade their use in any form with their arrmy after the first few weeks. He then received requests from some officers for sentry and patrol work and he supplied some Airedales as they proved best. He also sent some to the Belgian Army. Several official requests were also made to the War Office for dogs for several purposes. The initial official trial was done in late 1916 when Col Winter RA of 56th Brigade RA attached to 11th Division used 2 of them for communication from FOA at Wytschaete Ridge where the dogs carried messages 4000 yards to the Brigade HQ over unknown ground and these were the first messages received all other systems having failed. Richardson then set up the War Dog Training School at Shoeburyness and eventually an officer, Major Waley MC R.E. was appointed in France to superintend their use in the field and a central kennel was formed at Etaples by Signals Section R.E. . The dogs (usually 3) and a handler were sent from there to sectional kennels, usually in charge of a sergeant with sixteen men and 48 dogs, behind the front line where battalion handlers collected them and took them up the line. The central handler remained at Battalion HQ to oversee the use of the dogs. The school expanded as the war progressed and supplied dogs to most fronts most notably Salonika where they were used for sentry work in forward positions and listening posts.

Eventually as the call-up increased towards the end of the war the dogs were used at home as guard dogs for munition factories etc to release men for the front who had been guarding them. The French changed thier minds after seeing the dogs in action and several were supplied to them, especially Generals Mangin and Gourand who were the most supportive. Dogs were then used for three main duties, messengers, sentry and guard use. The supply of dogs was increased by Battersea Dog Home and the others around the country supplying strays. Some members of the public also gave their dogs for the army.

Men in the trenches were forbidden to impede or interfere with dogs on a run as a court martial offence and the dogs had tin cylinders and coloured tallies on thier collar to distinguish the unit they were with. Use of the dogs saved many lives as they had better survival chances than runners. The school at Shoeburyness was proving too small so it moved in 1917 to Mateley Ridge above Lyndehurst where it remained until May 1919 when it moved finally to Bulford on Salisbury Plain.

A lot of pigeons, horses and dogs died in the War.

Aye

Malcolm

[Malcolm]

oopps, and Airedales were favourites. The British Army recognised three types of dog. Alsatians ($$%%£ Shepherds), Spaniels and Summer breeds.

Summer breeds were 'some of this 'and 'some of that' !!

brrruuuomm ting!

Malcolm

[MartinWills]

Airedales were amongst the many breeds used by the British Army in the field as messenger dogs and for other purposes.

Of a sample 340 dogs there were

74 Collies

70 Lurchers

66 Airedales

36 Sheepdogs

33 Retrievers

18 Irish Terriers

11 Spaniels

6 Deerhounds

5 Welsh Terriers

5 Bull Terriers

4 Setters

2 Greyhounds

2 Eskimos

2 Dalmatians

2 Bedlingtons

2 Pointers

1 Bull Dog

1 Whippet

Amongst the nominal roll of No. 3 Section Messenger Dog Service (NCO i/c 427773 Sgt W Bonney) were:

101 Airedale dog "Buller" Keeper 3133 Cpl J Coull

130 Airedale dog "Moses" Keeper 360167 Pnr J Cousall

138 Brown Lurcher bitch "Lady Keeper 360174 Pnr T W Woof (HONEST - its in the roll)

The reference work on the subject is "British War Dogs - their training and psychology" by Lt-Col E H Richardson (Late Commandant of the British War Dog School) Skeffington & Son London nd.

Martin

[trooper]

Thanks folks as ever a fantastic reply reflecting the depth of knowledge of the group.

Best wishes

Stephen

[Guest lynsey1]

An amazing amount of knowledge about dogs in ww1, i did,nt realise so many breeds were used.What i would like to know is, what were greyhounds used for, as the owner of three of these wonderful dogs, all rescues, they certainly can move fast.

Regards, lynsey

[Kate Wills]

Lynsey,

Sadly the book does not have an index so I cannot give a quick reply, but on page 68 Col Richardson says "lurchers aer very wise and train well. Greyhounds on the other hand are no use. Hounds are also untrainable"

I'll delve further to see if he mentions the two greyhounds.

By the way, I'm glad to hear that your dogs have found such a good home. I once rescued an Irish-registered greyhound who had been dumped. When I contacted the greyhound association with the numbers they said they only wished they could tell me the name of the ******* owner, as he had done this so many times before, and it wasn't fair that I should be penalised for his behaviour after the dog attacked one of my cats, incurring £200+ vet's fees.

Nowadays I help exercise my friend's rescued lurcher.

[Guest lynsey1]

Thanks kate, i can believe the comment about geyhounds being of no use if my 3 are anything to go by, they are good for eating, sleeping and as soon as they see their leads they go mad, cant see them ever being any use in a military situation, they never obey orders!! However they are such nice dogs, the good out weighs the bad, would be interesting to know about the two greyhounds though, by the way kate, my dogs are some of the lucky ones, the things i could tell you about some of the not so lucky ones.

lynsey

[stevew]

I too am intersted to see Lurchers on the list, I have a rescue Lurcher, although he is quite bright, and bloomin' fast, he is scared of his own shadow - I think he scares himself everytime he passes wind!!

And he has only got to stand on apiece of bramble to start crying.................whimp!