Messenger Dogs in the Field ill 



Wood, but only staying here for a few days. The con- 

 tinual movements made it nearly impossible to use the 

 dogs on this sector very much. In February I received 

 orders for Central Kennels, Etaples. At this place men 

 and dogs of the service were made into sections of sixteen 

 men and forty-eight dogs, with one sergeant. I was placed 

 in No. i Section. On April 15th, four men, including 

 myself and dogs, proceeded to Nieppe Forest, Hazebrouck 

 Section. These were the first to leave Etaples, and were 

 for trial before the full sections were settled. I stayed in 

 this sector for ten days ; the dogs proved satisfactory. They 

 were sent forward a few hours after arriving at Brig. H.Qrs. 

 to the 2nd Australian Brigade. This position was heavily 

 shelled, more especially with gas shells. I then returned 

 to the 22nd Corps H.Qrs., at which place we made a 

 Section Compound, other men and dogs being sent up 

 to form this section. We only stayed there for three 

 weeks, and then went to the 22nd Corps H.Qrs. at Hout- 

 kerk, which was the position of No. 1 Compound for 

 some time. I went forward from Section Compound to 

 Kemmel Hill sector, 18th Bgde., 5th Div. At this posi- 

 tion my dog ' Betsy ' ran well and in good and regular time. 

 I was relieved after seven days' work here and returned to 

 the compound, where the dogs were kept in training. My 

 next week's work was at Ypres, where the dogs had a very 

 difficult place to work, as they had only two ways of return- 

 ing, either by going round to a bridge or through a tunnel 

 under the Canal bank. At this place my dogs worked for 

 the York and Lanes. Battalions, for whom they carried 

 good messages. My next place after a week at the com- 

 pound was at Batt. H.Qrs., between Ypres and Kemmel 

 Hill. This place was well under the observation of the 

 enemy and heavily shelled, causing communication by 



