"Is It My Master?" Pathetic Victims of War's Desolation

Category

Library Item

Item no

32719

Title

"Is It My Master?" Pathetic Victims of War's Desolation at a Cross-Roads in Flanders.

Description

From the Illustrated London News published March 17th, 1917, page 314-315. Drawn by S. Begg. Full title: Waiting for the master who may never return: A group of lost dogs in Flanders, eagerly watching the figure of an approaching peasant.

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1917

Size

39.4 x 54.2 cm

Type

Press cutting; Reproduction

Location

Reference Library

It is estimated that roughly 20,000 dogs aided combat efforts during the First World War. Their contributions included carrying aid to wounded soldiers, sniffing out enemy fighters, pulling heavy artillery, and sending and receiving messages across enemy lines. Dogs became so vital that they were donated by families and rescued as strays to aid in the war effort.

Watch dogs were trained to stand silently atop trenches alongside their handler's gun barrels, notifying their masters of approaching soldiers either by a low growl, perked ears, or an expectant demeanour. One Dundee Evening Telegraph report from 1916 noted: "A watchdog never barks".

Read history as it happened with free access to the Scotsman Digital Archive.

You can search the entire 1914-19 archives of the Illustrated London News online.

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Related subjects

Animals > Mammals > Dogs

Events > Wars > World wars

Places > Europe