WOUNDED IN ACTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 September 1942, Page 5

WOUNDED IN ACTION

VETERAN BATTALION MASCOT. POPULAR BULL-TERRIER (NZEF Official News Service.) ' ' CAIRO, July 21. Major, veteran mascot of a Wellington battalion and Number One Dog of the 2nd N.Z.E.F., has been wounded in action. Once again he accompanied his battalion to the Western Desort and in recent operations, suiieieci two flesh wounds in the thigh from machine-gun fire. With hardly a whimper, the large bull-terrier, which left New Zealand with the first contingent of the 2nd N.Z.E.F., submitted to the application of a first field dressing He was carefully laid on a stretcher and round his doggy neck was tied the orthodox information card used for all wounded soldiers. Before long he was on his way to a dressing station where his wounds were given more thorough attention. Characteristically, he showed his appreciation of everything that was done for him. He seemed to know that he was placed beneath a mosquito net for the purpose of sheltering him from the flies. At meal times he would crawl out from beneath its draping folds, lap up his bully and water with the best of them and then nose back under his netting to remain there till mess call came round again. Major travelled back to base in a senior medical officer’s staff car. He went willingly and appreciatively. On his arrival at base he was taken to his battalion’s L. 0.8. camp, where he was given a royal welcome. . Brought overseas by the late Major E W Williams, Major commenced his New Zealand military career in 1937, when he was taken by Major Williams from Duntroon Military College, in Australia, to a military camp in New Zealand. Enlisting in September 27, 1939, he accompanied a draft of the first contingent in its march through the streets of Wellington, prior to embarkation. Since then his army career has been eventful and varied and his promotion has been consistent and deserved. On his collar he bears the three stars of captaincy, one for every year of active service. Some time ago he lamentably fell from grace—one of his very, very few lapses—when he was-remiss enough to bite the leg of an Allied soldier. He subsequently appeared before a court-martial and as a result found himself considerably reduced on the gradation list. However, in the light of his recent misfortune, such a delinquency has now been more than forgotten.