Messenger Dogs in the Field 85 



at night practice. I have good places for dogs and lots 

 of good food." 



Keeper Davis in his statement refers also to the question 

 of night work. 



' Joe ' and ' Lizzard ' have done some very good work out 

 here both day and night. The dog is as good in the night 

 as he is in the day, he is worth his weight in gold and 

 the bitch is very good. I have had them come three miles 

 at night in 20 mins. and they are just the same on any 

 front that we go to. The dog can always be relied upon." 



These statements from the keepers in the field were a 

 great help to us in the training work at the school. For 

 instance, we were not certain as to the effect of gas on the 

 dogs. Keeper Brooks mentions this matter in a report on 

 his dog " Tom." As a matter of fact, they were not so 

 sensitive to this, on the whole, as one would perhaps have 

 imagined. 



" The dogs I brought out from England were taken away 

 from me to be distributed amongst the other men, for 

 we have to have 3 dogs each. I had 3 of the first lot sent 

 out and the names are as follows : — ' Tom ' (black and 

 white spaniel). ' Moses ' (black, with a little white in neck, 

 sheep dog). ' Fritz ' (the large German sheep dog). I am 

 very pleased with them, they are doing some very good 

 work ; they are running from the front line to Batt. Hdqtrs. 

 which is a good mile and a half, and their average run is 

 from 5 to 8 mins. which the officer thinks is very good. 

 1 Tom ' has been gassed and got a bit of shrapnel but is 

 quite well again. I am going back on the 25th for 14 days' 

 rest which I think we earned." 



