PDSA DICKIN MEDAL ~ for animal gallantry....

What a lovely thought Terratoonie, a lot forget about what animals did also the pigeons, which we now class as virmine .As its a rockery it looks like forget me knots I have tried to checked this out and came across this don't know if it helps funny how its called forget me knot
http://www.rvc.ac.uk/News/PressReleases/pr0909_ForgetMeKnot.cfm

An excellent and timely reminder TT....and there is a very good book written by Jilly Cooper "Animals in War" in which she has written a tribute to the role of animals in wartime.
We are inclined to forget the roll that animals took often in unspeakable conditions of course and it is a good opportunity to "remember them " too.

They are still use to this day, I was watching a south African documentary last night how they use the Uganda rat to sniff out the land minds there, it scratches the ground, when it discovers one, as its so light on feet it can walk on top and it does nt go off.

Thank you Morgana and Alzheimer ~
I have the book by Jilly Cooper "Animals In War",
and I also own the books : "Pet Heroes" by Paul Simons,
and "Heroic Dogs" by Lesley Scott-Ordish, founder of PRO Dogs charity.

Did you look at the link at top what do you think? about the flowers

Interesting, your link leading to another animal charity Morgana...
what a coincidence. ! :o)

Yes It is I looked and noticed in your picture the plant is in a rockery and mainly forget me knots go in rockeries, when they get older their leaves do get as large as the one on the picture, the meaning of for get me knot is rememberance of a loved one

This is indeed a timely reminder of yet another contribution animals have made to our lives. It's good to see that it doesn't go unrecognized as it's probably something that most of us don't even realise. Thanks Terra.
Sorry, no idea about the plants!

~ lovely blog TT ~just shows what we owe to animals who do what they do because they love and trust us!

Thank you Lily and Arlene..
... yes, there are some amazing stories I could have included, but I didn't want to make the blog too long...
....for instance one American pigeon, GI Joe, saved over 100 Allied soldiers from being bombed. :o)

A brill blog TT, thank you!

great blog Terra, animals have done so much to help us over the years, through war time, for disabled and blind,police force,rescue and lots more im sure, and dont have the choice either so that makes them even more special , just do what they are trained to do with no complaints,

Hi Ian and Sandra...
Yes, the animals' devotion to duty is amazing....

Brilliant blog Tt, I remember my old Granddad telling me a story of a dog that was used in the war as a search dog, it used to going into bombed out buildings to try to sniff out people trapped.

Hi Bob...
Thanks. Sounds like your Granddad could have been talking about Beauty the Wire Fox Terrier above...I'm sure she found people as well as the 63 animals...

I've just added a bit more to my blog ~
dogs receiving awards after the 2001 disaster of Nine Eleven.

I remember a similar story Bob and one about a dog that was badly injured several times doing his duty and received more than one award ..

Very apt timing TT certainly feeling like so many people and animals we owe a huge debt of gratitude to .

Thanks BB...
It seems the appropriate day to write this blog. :o)

Another great blog, TT! I do think that the contribution that dogs & pigeons made during the world wars is undervalued. I remember reading stories about these kinds of animals & the service they rendered to humans during wars & natural disasters, when I was still a boy.

I didn't know about this medal, the "Victoria Cross", for animals! So thanks for writing a blog about it. :-)

Hi Balcony....
Pleased you enjoyed this blog...
I could have included stories of how each horse, dog, pigeon and cat deserved their medals.... but that would have made rather a long blog !

..and imagine those Guide Dogs in the World Trade Center, going down flight after flight of stairs... probably amongst many other people all anxious to leave the building... those dogs earned their medals..! .:o)

Not forgetting horses...of which some two million were lost in WW1 alone.
I don't know the figures for WW2 but certainly the Germans and Russians used them extensively as we did too of course in Italy and the Middle East.

Yes, I guess if the Dickin Medal had been in existence during WW1 there would have been many awarded to horses... but, as above, there are three from WWII, and those three represent the 186 horses of the Mounted Branch of the Metropolitan Police Force. They are Olga, Regal and Upstart.. all kept on working despite explosions and fire........brave !

I know this comment is 'off piste' but I personally think horses are amazing animals that can undertake a tremendous amount for us poor humans. Lets face it if it hadn't been for heavy horses then we would never have become farmers!

A brill blog and Photos, i have a pdsa money box had one for quite a few years now, and twice a year i empty it and send it to them, i just put my 1s & 2p coins init and its surprising how much i can send them, plus if my lot come round i'm always getting them to empty their pockets & put their 1s & 2s in the box aswell, mind you our pdsa vet is only a 10min walk from me, and very often there are folks getting out of big posh cars, expensive Pedigree dogs and i very often think to myself, i bet they 've got more money than me and i'm the one helping to look after their pets.

Excellent blog, TT, timely and very interesting. Thank you.

My friend s husband use to donate and when he read and seen this, he now donates food only, now Clarice

Good idea Morgana.

Thanks everyone for your comments...
Glad you like the blog...
Good that the Dickin medals have highlighted the courage of animals in war.

Good idea TT for a blog. I blew the picture up as large as possible, difficult to see even then, Do you know what time of year it would have been? I'm thinking wallflowers by the dog, but it could be roses on the trellis and the young boy is holding a bunch of Dahlias or Chrysanthemums

Thanks Bob...
Yes, I thought the same as you... the wallflowers... and chrysanthemums or dahlias with the boy, and roses on the trellis......... I guess there were not too many climbers available to gardeners in, say, the first half of the 20th century ? Honeysuckle and roses were the most common I presume ? The little girls are wearing summer dresses, so maybe a warm day in late summer ?

Many Thanks for highlighting all this, Tt! :-)

My pleasure David.
You look very handsome on your latest avatar pic.
I like the new hairstyle...:o)

~possibly a trifle older methinks!

Who...? David ?

~ anonymous19th century man TT !

Graet Bog Terra another class of unsung heroes, innumerous of examples of animals loyalty and devotion to humans1

Lol. Arlene... just checking..:o)
Thanks, Pansypotter....
...yes, so many creatures, great and small, helping mankind... :o)

Love the pictures Terra!

~ Do you know what the Cat did TT? I can see how the dogs horses and pigeons could help but am curious to know~ obviously something special or wouldn't have been awarded the medal!?

What a wonderful blog TT. Where would we be without our animals ?

Yes Tt it was a terrier but for the life of me I cannot remember which breed of terrier, but I agree it could very well have been a dog similar to beauty.

Great blog, Terra! :~))

Great blog Terra and perfectly timed, many of us don`t think about the animals and all they give to help us in so many ways,its good to think they are remembered in this way.......Fascinating to read, thanks......

.Wonderful blog TT. :~))

Thanks everyone...
Pansypotter, Bob, Madperth, Lincslass and Sue...
Yes, Hywel... animals help us so much, don't they. :o)

Arlene..... It would be fun to say that the cat was EXTREMELY intelligent, and worked on early computers decoding messages, but actually Simon the cat was amazingly brave and did a very useful job, of which I think you would approve ~

"SIMON".... date of award.. posthumously 1949...
"Served on HMS Amethyst during the Yangtze incident, disposing of many rats though wounded by shell blast. Throughout the incident his behaviour was of the highest order, although the blast was capable of making a hole over a foot in diameter in a steel plate."

...and... another of interest...
"Punch and Judy" - Boxer dog and bitch.
Date of awards .. Nov. 1946.
"These dogs saved the lives of two British Officers in Israel by attacking an armed terrorist who was stealing upon them unawares, and thus warning them of their danger. Punch sustained 4 bullet wounds and Judy a long graze down her back."

The animals I would commend most would be the horses at the Somme, dozens dissapeared in the mud . .

Brilliant blog as usual TT.

We've always known that our animals are so very special, but it's still nice and warming to the heart, when they get deserved recognition for their loyalty and bravery -

Thanks, Bob and Terry60 ~
So many wonderful loyal animals...
..yes, it's good that the Dickin Medals highlight at least of few of these...

~ thanks for explaining TT~ Well done Simon, and Punch and Judy! I definitely feel that if I was attacked when out with my boxers that they would defend me !

Harvey and Merlin would protect their "Mum". :o)

great blog TT........

Thanksssssssssssssss Holly :o)

Great Blog TT, I like the photos

Thanks, Deida...
Fox Terriers are one of my favourite breeds, so I was glad to be able to use the picture of brave "Beauty".

Another great blog Terra, I was watching Crimewatch last week and on it were a couple of Police dogs also trained to do their 'bit' (at whatever cost) Police dogs do get shot stabbed etc on occasions.
Lovely photos, can't help with the plant ID's although I did think of Wallflowers and Chrysanthemums too :-)

Hi Fenclare...
You're right... Police Dogs are sometimes literally in the line of fire...
...and yes, we seem to be agreed on the flowers... Thanks :o)

Nice blog TT. A dog will always be man's best friend :-)

Thanks Dawn. xxx

Terra, thanks for the interesting and informative blog. Caused me to stop and consider that animals are much more than fun "pets." They actually can be vital to our existence. I salute you and our life-preserving animals!

Glad you enjoyed reading this, Hmhb...
Yes, animals play such an important part in our lives in so many ways !

Ain't THAT the truth TT. :~)))

Wonderful blog Terra, you know me, I think all animals are phenomenal, I also think of the small pit Ponies helping to get our fuel out, they had awful lives. There is a famous little Pigeon called Cher Amie, who saved 200 USA solders in World War 1. He took the message, was shot and blinded in one eye, shot in the chest and had his leg virtually blown off and still he went on and got the message to base. They did their best to patch him up, but he eventually died from his injuries in 1919, they are so underestimated, all animals are by the majority of people except those who take time to understand. xxx

Interesting read Tt. And I'll show julie the pic of the wartime Wire haired Fox Terrier. She'll love it . She had one as a pet when she was a child and her sister had one too but don't very often see them around here these days!
Hope everything went well today with Conker's last Chemo!

Thank Sue, Pam and Paul...
The stories of brave pigeons are prominent in the list of Dickin medals.

Interesting that Julie had a Wire Haired Fox Terrier as a child... me too ! :o)
Yes, Conker's last chemo is completed thanks.....
....update on his blog. !

Isn`t it wonderful that animals are honoured in this way, it`s a tribute to there courage over the years. I rememnber passing through a small town in Canada and seeing a statue of a police dog who was killed protecting his owner. I think it might have been Gander. I see Conker has had his last chemo and that he is well.

Sandra x

Hi Sandra...
Yes, these animals are so courageous helping us....
Today, Conker had his final chemo...
...more detail on his blog...
What's the latest on Jake ?....x

God bless them indeed, where would we be without them? fascinating blog TT.

Thank you DD2 :o)

Interesting, Tt. Thanks for dong all that research! :-))

Thanks Spritz ~
There are many more stories of the heroic animals and birds....
...I could have written ten blogs ! Lol.
The consensus of opinion is that the flowers in the top photo are roses and chrysanthemums. A happy picture with the little girls in their summer dresses. :o)

Good, timely blog Tt, I grew up reading Readers Digest there was always a story of animal heroics to make me cry:-)

Hi Bornagain...
Thanks.... and I guess there are many more unwritten stories of brave and loyal animals which will never be told...

Like little Conker's story:-) Unless..........it would be a good way for you to help pay for all his treatment. I'd buy a copy:-) How about it Tt?

Guess I could make lots of videos of Conker's tricks for You've Been Framed.... movie star Conker..Lol.

Hi TT what a Fantastic Blog uv put together here :) i want 2 add that My Summer has been on PDSA since her very 1st illnesss 10yrs ago !!! As u know she is Termaily ill with Smoke Damaged Lungs which was causeed from being shut in a House Fire b4 being Rescued by the RSPCA :( Her Companion a Little Terrie died b4 being saved :( Summer has been so close to losing her Life in the last 8yrs due to Lung Infections & The Bills r endless ,God Bless Maria Dickin & all those who help with the PDSA CHARITY XXX BTW TT My Middle Name Is Maria!!! XXX

Hello Maria. aka Jac ! Lol.
It's good that Summer has been helped over the years by PDSA.
When I was a child I used to take my budgie to the PDSA and the vet was wonderful in the way he made her better... each time she would come home again with a new lease of life !
Yes, well done Maria Dickin, all those years ago...:o)

When I was a child in Liverpool we didn't have the PDSA but we did have the vetinary dept of liverpool Uni. Anyone with a sick animal who could not afford vet treatment went to 'the University' and made a donation if they could afford it. It's good to know the PDSA is still going strong I'm afraid I would much rather give them money than the RSPCA.

I agree with Ian and Alz (8 Nov) and Drbob (9 Nov) about the horses. The horses used in WW1 were mostly just ordinary farm horses and peoples riding horses. I believe many were just commandeered and the owners had no choice but to give them up. Just imagine living all your life on a quite farm and suddenly being transported thousands of miles into a war zone with thousands of strange horses and men. So many were killed. And when the war finished, the country was bankrupt and could not afford to ship home the survivors........so sad.

Thanks for this blog TT.

True comments from Sid, Ian and Alz about the horses...
...not even trained for the job, and imagine the distraught owners having to say goodbye to their beloved horses.... never to know their fate...
as you say... so sad...

I am reading at my Grandsons' school during ' book week'. I am going to read Jilly Coopers Animals in War. With regard to the horses in WW1. It was my grandfathers job to look after the horses in France . My mother said he came home completely heartbroken. Read Michael Murpurgo's book War Horse and if possible go to see the play. Sad there was no recognition of the horses' bravery in WW!.

Hello Bethanywine and welcome to GoY.
The horses in war did amazing work...
.... such bravery and endurance...
In my PDSA book about the Dickin Medal, there are three horses listed as receiving the medal..
These horses were chosen to represent the many which served.
Police horses Olga, Upstart and Regal..
all receiving their medals in 1947.

Your grandfather was a brave man.... so much heartbreak..

I have Jilly Cooper's book, and also two others... Pet Heroes by Paul Simons, and Heroic Dogs by Lesley Scott-Ordish.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Today I've published on GoY a blog about the Battersea dog postage stamps, and where you can send your used postage stamps in aid of a charity which rehomes elderly dogs...

Good luck with your school reading...

I believe there was an award ceremony during the past week where a medal was awarded to an animal, a dog I think, for outstanding bravery. I think it was awarded this medal. My memory of it is hazy now as it was mentioned on the BBC 1 Breakfast a few days ago. I didn't get to hear any more about during the day which accounts for my "hazy" memory.

Yes, you are right Balcony. The dog featured on several news items last week.. Here's some detail...

Treo is the 63rd animal to receive the Dickin medal

A black Labrador which sniffed out bombs in southern Afghanistan has been awarded the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross - called the Dickin medal.

The eight-year-old 'Treo' twice found hidden bombs while on tour in Afghanistan with the 104 Military Working Dog Support Unit.

He is now retired and living with his handler, Sergeant David Heyhoe.

Yes, now I remember. Thanks. TT, I thought at the time I would have to post something here & when I saw on the news on my homepage you had made a post in this blog I thought it must be about this dog.

Well worth the medal for the lives he must have saved!

Yes, that Labrador, and others serving with the military, must have saved many lives...

Bethanywine - I have not read War Horse, but I did listen to a radio adaptation.....I don't think I could bear to read the book - the radio story was just so sad!!