FRENCH DOGS OF WAR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 80, 30 December 1918, Page 5

FRENCH DOGS OF WAR

The Freiv h dogs of war were cited i a recent o.der of the day. at the fro, for conduct rivalling that of their lnimj masters at tho second Battle of l> Jtarne. Two of these dogs saved ti 'life of a soldier who could not swi by pcruiilling him to lean upon the as they swam the etreani. The offici order recognising the value of the 6t vices of the dogs of the .Fourth Preni Army reads thus:— .... . i "Three of our dog conductors of t; Eiglith Division have been cited in I order of tho day. This division foug' on July 15 on the north bank of: ti Manie, and iyns cqmpolled"to fall, bafor a time despite its heroic defence, j "The dog conductors did not' retre until after they had Teceived antl trai mitted to the commanding officers t, important messages carried by the iloi These dogs had established and maintai ed communication day and night bohvej the rear army stations and the firiii line under iv lerrific bombardmer Their, feat was the more remarkal because they wcro not familiar with t ground upon which they were acting I messengers. . . j "Their tasks accomplished, two of. t; dog conductors were compelled to cro the Jlarae, under the fire of the enem The bridges.had been dfestroyed. 0: of tho dog conductors swam the streai Ms two dogs following him. 'The oth dog conductor could not swim. J coupled his two dogs by their leash and urged them into tho water. ' "The brave animals understood a! they permitted their master to rest 1 weight upon them while they swam ' the south bank and safety. : "These dogs had been deft by order ,j General Gouraud in thebattle.zone win the enemy- attacked. They establishl and maintained'lines of comnvanuab with fiuch success that General Gourai was able, throughout tho attack, to kej himself fully informed .as to.the mov ments of the German troopsV j "The dogs were employed because ti violence of the bombardment made it ii possible to make use of homing pigeo: or to maintain the telephone and tel giaph lines. ■ . J "These good dogs \h\t day were servil all the world! , ' -. ' , I