The pets we kept in the Forces

Discussion in 'Veteran Accounts' started by Ron Goldstein, Jul 27, 2007.

  1. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    I've had a quick look round the various threads that others have started and, unless I've missed it, no one has started a thread to do with pets.

    On the BBC WW2 Archives I posted the following article regarding a rather un-usual pet I came across in the Forces, can any one else remember their own experiences?


    BBC - WW2 People's War - Keeping Pets in the Forces
     
  2. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Dogs appear quite often in pictures. Is it true by the way that all army dogs drunk beer ?

    [​IMG]

    Here's an illustration of a Canadian and his dog (with a Norton, surprise, surprise !)

    [​IMG]

    ...and New Zealanders (with G3 Matchlesses).
     
  3. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  4. KriegsmarineFreak

    KriegsmarineFreak Senior Member

    I've found many WW2 german photos on EBay with various pets German soldiers had. I own a black and white photo of a German flight crewmember posing with a pet owl. I saw another photo of a Kriegsmarine sailor holding his rabbit on his warship at sea. Dogs appear in a lot of old WW2 photos. It appears that some German soldiers brought dogs to the Russian front. What were the rules with pets when you were in a dangerous war zone or on duty in the army back then?
     
  5. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    What were the rules with pets when you were in a dangerous war zone or on duty in the army back then?


    What rules ?
    Since when did servicemen/servicewomen ever read the rules ? :)

    To be serious, the impracticalities of keeping a pet in the line made it almost impossible to look after them and my photo of Queenie & Curly was taken in 1946. I would also think that there were strict injunctions against keeping pets in the barracks and that they would have been hidden away any time an inspection was due.
     
  6. laufer

    laufer Senior Member

    Attached Files:

  7. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Old Hickory Recon

    Interesting story. Such a shame he had to live out his life in a cage.
     
  8. Andy in West Oz

    Andy in West Oz Senior Member

  9. marcus69x

    marcus69x I love WW2 meah!!!

    Ron, did you ever find out who it was who smuggled the Parrott?
     
  10. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Miracles you want ?

    .... but I can still remember his face :)
     
  11. 51highland

    51highland Very Senior Member

    Don't know the name of the dog, but this was taken in mid 1942, before Alamein. part of 2nd Camerons. Dad is standing on the right.
     

    Attached Files:

  12. SouthWestPacificVet

    SouthWestPacificVet Confirmed Liar

    I remember a certain Cockatoo that could swear like a trooper, having an exchange with the company Chaplain who was trying to teach him to say pretty bird.
     
  13. GPRegt

    GPRegt Senior Member

    Myrtle the 'Parachick': Remember the hen peering out of the paratrooper's smock in 'A Bridge Too Far'? Myrtle was owned by Lt Pat Glover, 10th PB's QM. You can read her story here

    Steve W.
     
    brithm likes this.
  14. 4th wilts

    4th wilts Discharged

    i have 2 photos of my grandad sitting in a me109 with the units jack russel.i will put them on here when i do get my scanner running.yours,lee.
     
  15. Cpl Rootes

    Cpl Rootes Senior Member

    Some friends of mine back from Afganistan say that there are 2 dogs who have been adopted by the British troops in Sangin.
     
    von Poop likes this.
  16. Cummerbund

    Cummerbund Junior Member

    I served with 194(AL) F.A. from Sword Beach to Schwerin.
    Shortly after crossing the Belgian frontier, B Coy were adopted by a little brown dog, which we called "Rubberneck", because of his scrawn. Turned out that "rubernek" is Flemish, Brabantsch and Dutch for "Rubberneck!" He went AWL in Brabant.
     
  17. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

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