Special Read from our very good friend and expert story teller – Kate Kelly – From Her wonderful Dog Days Of Summer Series:
To read the entire story:
America Comes Alive – Dog Days of Summer Series
National Mutts Day, July 31: A Brave and Remarkable Messenger Dog
During World War I, the United States had no canine corps, but once we entered the war, our troops were the beneficiaries of military dogs trained by other countries.
Carrying messages was one of the important uses of dogs during this time. Telegraph and telephone lines were often cut by the enemy, and dogs were faster and were smaller targets than humans. However, it was no easy task. Not only did they have to run long distances, but the dogs had to overcome obstacles like getting through barbed wire and crossing rivers. Those that were trained for liaison work were expected to travel to a destination and then return with a reply.
To carry the message, the dog’s collar was fitted with a metal tube; and their unit affiliation was indicated by the color of ribbon attached to their collars.
In a second-hand shop I found a book by Albert Payson Terhune (1872-1942), an American journalist and collie breeder, and Terhune included in his collection of stories a heart-stopping one about a messenger dog, a mongrel, that I want to share today in honor of National Mutts Day.
The Message That Saved Verdun
The Siege of Verdun lasted for almost 10 months, and the death toll on both sides was heavy. Verdun was strategically vital to France, so it was important for the French military stationed elsewhere to know how the battle was going. During 1916—the year of the battle, seventeen French soldiers had been killed carrying messages.
By autumn of 1916, the German army had surrounded the city. Taking possession of a ridge above the town put them in position to prepare for a final attack.
At French headquarters, commanders were aware that the situation had taken a turn for the worse, and they wanted to get word to the soldiers and townspeople of Verdun that more military units were being sent. They also were hoping that somehow a message about the current situation might be sent back so that they could plan for what awaited them.
A messenger dog named Satan was selected for the task. His handler was in Verdun so if any man or dog could get a message through, the commanders felt Satan could do it.
For Satan, the first mile and a half or so involved terrain where there were bushes and other forms of cover, so he ran and crouched and ran and crouched, watching his surroundings carefully. The last stretch for Satan, however, involved crossing open fields, making that part of the journey very dangerous.
To read the entire story:
, an American journalist and collie breeder, and Terhune included in his collection of stories a heart-stopping one about a messenger dog, a mongrel, that I want to share today in honor of National Mutts Day. The Message That Saved Verdun The Siege of Verdun lasted for almost 10 months, and the death toll on both sides was heavy. Verdun was strategically vital to France, so it was important for the French military stationed elsewhere to know how the battle was going. During 1916—the year of the battle, seventeen French soldiers had been killed carrying messages. messenger dogsBy autumn of 1916, the German army had surrounded the city. Taking possession of a ridge above the town put them in position to prepare for a final attack. At French headquarters, commanders were aware that the situation had taken a turn for the worse, and they wanted to get word to the soldiers and townspeople of Verdun that more military units were being sent. They also were hoping that somehow a message about the current situation might be sent back so that they could plan for what awaited them. A messenger dog named Satan was selected for the task. His handler was in Verdun so if any man or dog could get a message through, the commanders felt Satan could do it. For Satan, the first mile and a half or so involved terrain where there were bushes and other forms of cover, so he ran and crouched and ran and crouched, watching his surroundings carefully. The last stretch for Satan, however, involved crossing open fields, making that part of the journey very dangerous.){kind=link}