Sergeant Gander

by Robyn Walker

  Ship’s mascot Ighty who was injured at Dieppe, Sep–tember 1942.

  Humankind’s bond with animals fostered the need for many soldiers to bring mascots with them into battle, or to adopt an animal while serving in the military. A pet, something to love and care for, is often a welcome distraction from the horrors of war. During the Second World War the PDSA formed the Allied Forces Mascot Club to recognize the importance of animal mascots and the variety of roles that they played while serving with the armed forces. Hundreds of soldiers and sailors registered their mascots for membership in the club, and each animal

  Eustace the mouse, on board LCT 947, Normandy, June 6, 1944.

  member received a certificate and a badge to recognize their wartime service. The mascots took on all shapes and sizes of many different animals.

  In addition to Sergeant Gander, there are two other relatively well-known Canadian animals that set off to war with their masters. The first never actually made it to the battlefields, but is probably the most famous, being better known as the bear that inspired the creation of Winnie the Pooh. In 1914, just after the outbreak of the First World War, a young veterinarian from Winnipeg, Harry Colebourn, set off for the newly created army training camp at Valcartier, Quebec. At a train stop in White River, Ontario, Harry befriended a small black bear cub whose mother had been killed by a trapper. He paid twenty dollars for her and

  Muncher, the rab–bit mascot of the HMCS Haida.

  Winnie and Harry Colebourn.

  named her Winnie (after his hometown of Winnipeg). Winnie became the mascot of Colebourn’s infantry brigade. She sailed to England with her new friends and ended her journey at England’s Salisbury Plains, the principal training ground for British and Commonwealth troops during the war.

  Winnie slept in Colebourn’s tent (under his cot) and became like a pet to many of the men training there. She would follow them around, playing with them and entertaining them with her antics, and “her presence helped take their minds off their ongoing soggy circumstances and off the prospect of the conflict to come. Group photographs frequently included Winnie, front and centre, a position of honour.”2 Unfortunately (or perhaps, fortunately for Winnie) Winnie’s days a mascot were coming to an end. In early December of 1914, Colebourn was given orders that Winnie needed to be removed from Brigade Headquarters as the unit was preparing for departure to France. A bear cub simply could not be accommodated in a war zone. Colebourn made arrangements to “loan” Winnie to the London Zoo. The Canadian bear went on to become one of the Zoo’s star attractions, and one of her biggest fans was a young boy named Christopher Robin Milne, whose father was a writer. Christopher Robin named his own teddy bear after Winnie and his father wrote several stories about the boy and his bear. At the end of the war Colebourn officially donated Winnie to the London Zoo, and she lived there until her death in 1934.

  Another Canadian animal that actually did experience war belonged to Dr. John McCrae, author of the poem “In Flander’s Fields.” Shortly before the outbreak of the First World War, McCrae was given a horse as a gift. He took the horse to Europe with him, and frequently travelled by horseback to make his medical rounds and to reach the wounded men on the battlefield. The horse, named Bonfire, earned a special place in McCrae’s heart, and McCrae often mentioned Bonfire in his letters home. In one such letter, he wrote, “I have a very deep affection for Bonfire, for we have been through so much together, and some of it bad enough. All the hard spots to which one’s memory turns the old fellow has shared, though he says so little about it.”3 One can only imagine the horrors witnessed by both McCrae and Bonfire during McCrae’s time as a field surgeon on the front lines.

  John McCrae and Bonfire, 1916.

  McCrae would also send letters to his sister’s children, written by Bonfire.One, written to his nephew Jack Kilgour, October 1, 1916, reads as follows, “…do you ever eat blackberries. My master and I pick them every day on the hedges. I like twenty at a time. My leg is better but I have a lump on my tummy. I went to see my doctor today and he says it is nothing at all. I have another horse staying in my stable now; he is black and about half my size. He does not keep me awake at night. Yours truly, Bonfire.”4 The letters were always signed with a hand-drawn hoof print. When McCrae died during the final year of the war, Bonfire marched in his funeral procession.

  Working animals and mascots have both been involved in heroic acts that have earned them the PDSA Dickin Medal; intended to acknowledge an animal’s gallantry and devotion to duty while with the military or civilian defence, it has been awarded sixty-two times as of December 2008. Its recipients have included horses, pigeons, dogs, and a cat.

  Other PDSA Dickin Medal Stories

  Pigeons have won more PDSA Dickin Medals than any other animal. Their incredible “homing” instinct made them an integral part of military communications. Man-made communication systems, such as telephones and telegraphs, were often difficult to set up in battlefield conditions and were vulnerable to destruction by the enemy, so pigeons were often used to carry messages in tiny canisters attached to their legs. Many fell victim to bad weather, sniper fire, or to hawks and other birds of prey that the enemy would use to attack the pigeon post.

  Winkie receiv–ing her PDSA Dickin Medal from Maria Dickin.

  Irma.

  Winkie and Mary of Exeter were two pigeons used during the Second World War whose service earned them the PDSA Dickin Medal. Winkie was aboard a badly damaged Royal Air Force plane that was forced to ditch in the North Sea. The plane, riddled with enemy bullets, was returning home from a mission in Norway. The crew was thrown into the water and found themselves clinging to debris. Winkie’s broken container had also been thrown from the plane and she freed herself.Her wings were covered in the oil that was leaking from the wreckage, but she managed to take flight and head for home. She returned to her loft the next morning, soaked with both oil and water. A sergeant from the RAF Pigeon Service was able to identify which plane she had been on and to log a route to the plane wreckage, using wind direction, and predicted flight timing from the time the plane ditched and when Winkie returned home.A rescue team located the downed airmen. Just over a year later, Winkie was awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal, “For delivering a message under exceptionally difficult conditions and so contributing to the rescue of an Air Crew while serving with the RAF in February 1942.”

  Mary of Exeter was another member of the British National Pigeon Service.She served her country for five years and was wounded twenty-two times, most often by enemy birds of prey. After one mission, Mary returned with three bullet wounds and part of her wing shot off. Despite being badly hurt, she still completed her mission to bring her message home.

  Simon, playing while in quar–antine.

  The only cat ever to be awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal was a black and white tomcat named Simon.Simon joined the crew of the HMS Amethyst in 1948. On a mission on China’s Yangze River, the Amethyst came under fire from Communist shore batteries. A direct hit on the ship’s captain’s cabin badly injured Simon — his whiskers were burned off, his fur was singed, and he sustained several shrapnel wounds. Pinned down on the river by enemy fire, the Amethyst was besieged all summer.Rats on board the ship began spoiling food and stealing from the supplies.The men were fearful and depressed.Simon spent his days patrolling the ship, hunting to help control the rat population. In the evenings he visited the sick bay, providing comfort and companionship to the injured sailors. In July 1949, after being stranded for three months, the Amethyst finally broke free from the river. Simon’s contribution throughout the ordeal was widely recognized by his ship mates, and his commanding officer recommended him for the PDSA Dickin Medal. Unfortunately, Simon’s medal had to be awarded posthumously. During his six-month quarantine after his arrival in England, Simon became ill and died. His citation reads, “Served on the HMS Amethyst during the Yangtze Incident, disposing of many rats though wounded by shell blast. Throughout the incident his behaviour was of t
he highest order.”

  The PDSA Dickin Medal has been awarded to dozens of dogs for a wide variety of heroic acts. During the Second World War thousands of bombs were dropped on the City of London. After each round of bombing, rescuers combed the debris in search of survivors. Dogs, with their keen sense of smell, were an integral part of this rescue effort. Margaret Griffin had two Alsation dogs, Psych and Irma, who were well trained in performing search and rescue missions. Griffin kept extensive and detailed records of her dogs’ work throughout the London Blitz. A typical diary entry reads as follows,

  Call to Osborne Road, Tottenham at 21:00 hrs. In house No. 1 Irma

  found two live casualties. In No. 2 Irma again gave good indication

  just to one side of [a] fairly large and fierce fire burning through

  collapsed house debris … Family of five found. In No. 3 a strong

  indication from Irma over the debris. Rescue found a live cat.

  Working over No. 4 I got another clear indication under a collapsed

  floor, later had report from Rescue Leader on this site that 4 adults

  had been taken, 2 more located and one was suspected lying behind

  the 2 located ones….5

  Irma located twenty-one live victims and 170 dead victims, as well as several pets. She was awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal for “being responsible for the rescue of persons trapped under blitzed buildings while serving with the Civil Defence Services in London.”

  There was also a group known as the Animal Rescue Squad who were determined to help recover any pets that were trapped beneath London’s bombed out buildings.One of the group’s officers, Bill Barnet, used his terrier Beauty to help locate victims. Beauty eventually rescued over sixty trapped pets, often digging amidst the rubble until her paws were bloody and sore. Beauty’s PDSA Dickin Medal was awarded to her for being “the pioneer dog in locating buried air-raid victims while serving with a PDSA rescue squad.”

  Beauty.

  The Ilford PDSA Animal Cemetery is the final resting place of over 3,000 animals, including several of the PDSA Dickin Medal winners.Dating back to the 1920s, the cemetery is located just behind the Ilford PDSA branch. Its design reflects the colours of the PDSA Dickin Medal ribbon — brown, green, and blue, colours that symbolize the land, sea, and air forces.Those interested in paying their respects to animals who served in the war are encouraged to visit this cemetery. A quiet and reflective place, it is a fitting memorial not only to much loved pets, but to those animals who served their country in its darkest hours.

  Conclusion

  Sergeant Gander was one of hundreds, if not thousands, of animals who acted as a mascot for a military unit during wartime. He provided love and companionship to his fellow soldiers and was a link to home — to a kinder and gentler time when a dog might lie at one’s feet in front of a fireplace, with a casual lick to the hand to let its owner know that all was well. In his role as a military mascot, Sergeant Gander was not unique. However, during the bloody night of December 18/19, 1941, he became more than a mascot by consciously, or unconsciously, putting his life on the line to protect a small group of wounded Canadians.

  How interesting it is that Gander’s heroic act mirrors, almost exactly, the heroism demonstrated by Major John Osborn. Both saw a grenade land, both recognized the danger of the hissing and smoking weapon, and both made a decision to act accordingly. Obviously, Gander may not have had the ability to predict the outcome of his actions, but he took action nonetheless, and that makes him no less a hero than his human counterpart. For his role in saving those Canadian soldiers at the Battle of Hong Kong, and as the only Canadian recipient of the prestigious PDSA Dickin Medal, Sergeant Gander deserves recognition by the Canadian public and the Canadian government. Sergeant Gander has earned his place in history alongside all of the other brave combatants in battle, and his story needs to be told again and again, so that future generations of Canadians may speak his name with pride.

  Appendix A

  List of PDSA Dickin Medal Recipients

  Dogs: Roll of Honour

  Bob — Mongrel

  6th Royal West Kent Regiment

  Date of Award: March 24, 1944

  “For constant devotion to duty with special mention of Patrol work at Green Hill, North Africa, while serving with the 6th Battalion Queens Own Royal West Kent Regt.”

  Jet — Alsatian

  MAP Serving with Civil Defence

  Date of Award: January 12, 1945

  “For being responsible for the rescue of persons trapped under blitzed buildings while serving with the Civil Defence Services of London.”

  Irma — Alsatian

  MAP Serving with Civil Defence

  Date of Award: January 12, 1945

  “For being responsible for the rescue of persons trapped under blitzed buildings while serving with the Civil Defences of London.”

  Beauty — Wire-Haired Terrier

  PDSA Rescue Squad

  Date of Award: January 12, 1945

  “For being the pioneer dog in locating buried air-raid victims while serving with a PDSA Rescue Squad.”

  Rob — Collie

  War Dog No. 471/332 Special Air Service

  Date of Award: January 23, 1945

  “Took part in landings during North African Campaign with an Infantry unit and later served with a Special Air Unit in Italy as patrol and guard on small detachments lying-up

  Rip, saving a young boy from a bombed-out building in Lon–don, England.

  in enemy territory. His presence with these parties saved many of them from discovery and subsequent capture or destruction. Rob made over 20 parachute descents.”

  Thorn — Alsatian

  MAP Serving with Civil Defence

  Date of Award: March 2, 1945

  “For locating air-raid casualties in spite of thick smoke in a burning building.”

  Rifleman Khan — Alsatian

  147 6th Battalion Cameronians (SR)

  Date of Award: March 27, 1945

  “For rescuing L/Cpl. Muldoon from drowning under heavy shell fire at the assault of Walcheren, November 1944, while serving with the 6th Cameronians (SR).”

  Rex — Alsatian

  MAP Civil Defence Rescue Dog

  Date of Award: April 1945

  “For outstanding good work in the location of casualties in burning buildings. Undaunted by smoldering debris, thick smoke, intense heat and jets of water from fire hoses, this dog displayed uncanny intelligence and outstanding determination in his efforts to follow up any scent which led him to a trapped casualty.”

  Sheila — Collie

  Date of Award: July 2, 1945

  “For assisting in the rescue of four American Airmen lost on the Cheviots in a blizzard after an air crash in December, 1944.”

  Rip — Mongrel

  Stray picked up by Civil Defence Squad at Poplar, London E14

  Date of Award: 1945

  “For locating many air-raid victims during the blitz of 1940.”

  Peter — Collie

  Date of Award: November 1945

  “For locating victims trapped under blitzed buildings while serving with the MAP attached to Civil Defence of London.”

  Judy — Pedigree Pointer

  Date of Award: May 1946

  “For magnificent courage and endurance in Japanese prison camps, which helped to maintain morale among her fellow prisoners and also for saving many lives through her intelligence and watchfulness.”

  Punch and Judy — Boxer dog and bitch

  Date of Awards: November 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

  Peter with King George and Queen Elizabeth.

  sustained 4 bullet wounds and Judy a long graze down her back.”

  Punch, a boxer dog.

  Ricky — Welsh Collie

  Date of Award:
March 29, 1947

  “This dog was engaged in cleaning the verges of the canal bank at Nederweent, Holland. He found all the mines but during the operation one of them exploded. Ricky was wounded in the head but remained calm and kept at work. Had he become excited he would have been a danger to the rest of the section working nearby.”

  Brian — Alsatian

  Date of Award: March 29, 1947

  “This patrol dog was attached to a Parachute Battalion of the 13th Battalion Airborne Division. He landed in Normandy with them and, having done the requisite number of jumps, became a fully-qualified Paratrooper.”

  Antis — Alsatian

  Date of Award: January 28, 1949

  “Owned by a Czech airman, this dog served with him in the French Air Force and RAF from 1940 to 1945, both in N. Africa and England. Returning to Czechoslovakia after the war, he substantially helped his master’s escape across the frontier when after the death of Jan Masaryk, he had to fly from the Communists.”

  Ricky’s grave. Ricky was a little Welsh col–lie used in a mine-sweeping operation on a canal bank in Nederweent, Holland. He found all the mines, but was injured when one exploded. Ricky kept work–ing despite his wounds.

  Tich — Egyptian Mongrel

  1st Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps

  Date of Award: July 1, 1949

  “For loyalty, courage and devotion to duty under hazardous conditions of war 1941 to 1945, while serving with the 1st King’s Rifle Corps in North Africa and Italy.”