For "Animals in War 1939-1945" A lot of great IWM pictures are here: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search?query=ANIMALS%20IN%20WAR%201939-1945 And there's this too: Catalogue number: HU 43577 : THE PDSA Carries on: A mobile PDSA (People's Dispensary for Sick Animals) van giving aid to Londoners' pets in a badly bombed area of the city during the Blitz. : http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205087016 Not sure if there is an actual thread to this topic though? But I did see a few refs to the PDSA and the Dicken medal for example in some other posts. Great pictures though! All the best, Rm. Ps. This is probably one of my favourites at the mo. "Venus" the bulldog mascot of the destroyer HMS VANSITTART. : http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205125333 Venus?!
Thanks for the link RM. Some lovely photos there. I've been toying with the idea of writing something for my website about the animals involved on the first Chindit operation. 'The Elephant, the Bullock and the Mule'.
Ramilies Yep, several threads on animals/pets including this one: http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/13293-its-a-dogs-life/page-4 Ron
Thanks Ron! And here's an nice one for you "Bamboo43" (which you've perhaps probably already previously seen) IWM catalog A24291 : An elephant pulling a Supermarine Walrus aircraft into position at a Fleet Air Arm station. : http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205187157 And there's a few other frames of similar shots with other planes in the related objects section below it. Can't think why they don't use these at Heathrow! (not that they pay them with peanuts there) - I guess the consequences as in Blue Peter might have been a problem though? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wzJbR-PuCM All the best, Rm.
Good thread here Dogs of war. http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/15127-dogs-of-war/ bamboo43. Chindit Minnie would be a great story to put up. A mule but was really a pony, born in White city.
Thanks RCG, I have my sights set on 'Mabel' the only mule to return to India from Operation Longcloth. Best wishes Steve
Ronald Searl http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search?f%5B0%5D=agentString%3ASearle%2C%20Ronald%20William%20Fordham&query= "Kittens: Christmas Dinner 1944 - Changi Gaol, 10-25 December 1944" - beautiful pictures with a tragic label. Though I do wonder what they fed the cats on... that meant that cats was a "step-up" http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/24432 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/24431 Label: "...Lastly, there were the three little kittens. They had been earmarked for our Christmas dinner and were put into our care for fattening up on 10 December..."
I met an old workmates the other day he was taking his uncle shopping I noticed he was wearing a Veteran pin so I asked him where he served , he replied he was a dog handler in the RAF regiment during WW2 , at the end of the war he was separated from his dog on demobilisation but missed him so much he tracked him down and bought him for £5 as he put it a lot of money in those days but worth it Shanks