Scooby Duped

I was really taken with the short report during a radio show last week about the role of animals in wartime. This was a further illustration of the contentious use of domesticated animals in mans futile conflicts following on from War Horse which in book, stage play and film has awoken many issues in the ethical and humanitarian debate on the subject.

One stand out story was that of Rob the War Dog.

In 1942 he was just an ordinary dog living on a farm in Shropshire but his owners lent him to the war effort to undergo specialist training to help troops.

The tasks for which the dogs were prepared included patrolling duties, sniffing out enemy troops and as a guardian for those on active service.

Covert units well behind enemy lines relied upon dogs as silent sentries whilst they stole a few hours rest from the constant threat of being found, captured and executed.

Rob or under his individual number 471/332 was seconded to the SAS special forces and in 1945 was awarded the Dickin Medal which is regarded as the equivalent in human terms to the Victoria Cross.

The citation with the award included reference to Rob's part in landings during the North African Campaign and after that on the Italian mainland. He is reported to have saved his squad from discovery and more amazingly had completed 20 parachute jumps.

After the war Rob was returned to his family back on the farm and it is reported that he lived out his years free from the furore and chaos of war. He died in 1952 and a memorial at his grave bore testament to his exploits and exceptional courage.

It was one of those stories that brought a bit of emotion to my soul and not a little bit of welling-up of tears at the thought of a dog, very much like my own beloved family pets, being subjected to the inhumanities of wartime.

Unfortunately the whole thing appears to have been a bit of a shaggy dog story.

This did not come to light until publication of the memoirs of a member of the elite SAS as recently as 2006.

The basic facts were true in terms of Rob's origins and his enlistment in the military but rather than being propelled into the North African and European theatres of war he was the constant companion of the Quartermaster within the much safer and quieter UK base of the elite regiment.

The hoax was perpetrated when the family of Rob requested his return to the farm. The regiment had become attached to the loyal dog and fabricated the war record in an attempt to keep him rather than repatriate him. A parachute jump was planned for Rob using a special harness and chute but bad weather caused it to be cancelled at the last minute. A letter had been pre-prepared to report the successful jump to the Shropshire family in order to emphasise the indispensability of Rob to the war effort but in spite of the thwarted attempt it was sent anyway.

So was the tale of Robs heroism firmly embedded in his proud owners and in the perception of the great British public.

I like to think that 471/332 perpetuated his own legend in the post war years. I can well  imagine the sleepy hound looking slyly and menacingly at anyone who dared to disturb one of those glorious naps on a sunny dog day afternoon in the peaceful rural countryside.