94 British War Dogs 



"I am sorry to have to tell you that I have lost poor 

 old ' Smiler.' The Staff Capt. had taken him up the line 

 and sent him back with a message which he brought back 

 in 20 mins., — a distance of 3 kilos. The poor old fellow's 

 jaw was hanging down, being fractured by a bullet — I knew 

 there was not much hope for him, but I took him to the 

 A.V.C., after binding him up, and they immediately shot 

 him. He had been going up the line with the General 

 each morning and bringing his messages back in good 

 time always. The General was very fond of him and told 

 me yesterday he was sorry I had lost him." 



After the first few months of experimenting, I was able 

 to bring the training of the dogs to gunfire up to a much 

 more effective standard, and shell-shock became much 

 the exception. Keeper " Swankie," who went out early 

 with two dogs, " Creamy " and " Ginger," mentions an 

 unpleasant experience whereby " Ginger " suffered from 

 shell-shock. 



" I left here in September for Poperinghe — was there 

 for 5 days, then went to Canal Bank with the 18th Divi- 

 sional Hdqtrs., from there to Varna Farm, where I was 

 attached to the 54th and 55th Brigades. It was there both 

 my dogs were blown up by a shell. I found one that night 

 but lost the other one for 3 days. My first night there, 

 which was by no means comfortable for me or my dogs, 

 I had to stand all night with my dog by my side. Next 

 morning ' Creamy ' was taken out by the Brigade Major 

 to the front line trenches, leaving at 7.30 a.m. Released 

 at 1 p.m., arriving back 1.25 p.m., with a few messages and 

 a map of the new position taken that morning, Poel 

 Capelle Brewery, approx. distance 6 kilos., time taken 



