Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-12-11
Surgeons Bear Glowing TeStl-
mony to Good Work Done
BY Animals
ASSOCIATED Press

PARIS, France - Notwithstanding
much that has already been recorded
of them the ambulance dogs have not
yet been given full recognition for the
part they are playing in the war, say
the dog lovers.
Through the courtesy Of DR.. kresser
Of the National Society Of Ambulance
Dogs. the Associated Press has been
shown a dozen letters from army sur
geons and soldiers telling in interest
ing detail some of their intelligent and
courageous feats. First. dII:usslng
the general usefulness OF the dog In
field ambulance work, DR.. KresSer
said this usefulness had become great
er in proportion 10 the development
of modern methods OF warfare.
THE infantryman today does his
fighting from the ground, under any
cover he can find" he said. creeping
| through thickets. hiding in bitches.
behind hedges and every spot that Is
/ likely to conceal him from the enemy.
Naturally the same cover hides him
from the view of the stretcher bear
ers picking up the wounded after the
battle
This duty is further complicated
by the fact that it must be done a:
night, as the intensity OF fire makes
it impossible to pick up wounded on
the field during an engagement. In
this work of seeking the wounded at
night the ambulance dog becomes in
disDensable, since lights are forbid
den to the stretcher-bearers for fear
of exposing positions to the enemy;
consequently the salvation of hundreds
of wounded soldiers depends upon the
sharp scent, intelligence and devotion
of the ambulance dog. g., -. ~
The French ambulance dog is the
French shepherd, m animal which is
proven to be far better adapted to
the work than the German shepherd
dog formerly employed in the French
army, because the German dog is more
ferocious and is taught to fight the
enemy as we'll as to discover the
wounded of his own troops. The
French dog is taught to seek the
wounded of the enemy's troops as
we'll as of his own. He is as gentle
as he is faithful and, as in the case
of Tom, is the pet of his company.
The case of Tom" is this:
Castor Durand of the 50th Infantry
fell in one of the violent engagements
in the Argonne forest, wounded in the
arm by fragment of a shell, with a
bullet in his jaw, and nearly scalped
by blow from n saber. He tried to
rise, but heavy weight fell upon him
and then he lost consciousness. The
first thing he became aware of was a
feeling that resem0led a caress upon
his forehead. He opened his eyes and
there was Tom, one Of the ambulance
dogs, affectionately tapping his torn
head. He tried to rise, but the heavy
weight that had horne him down was
still there. 1t was the body of one OF
his comrades who had fallen with a
bullet through his heart.
Impossible to extricate himself he
finally succeeded in getting to a sit
ting posture. His cap was gone and
that explained why Tom had not gone
back to the ambulance for help. Dur
and looked, and Tom searched, but
no cap was to be found. Go, Tom.
and fetch the comrades" Durand
cried. A half hour later Tom went
into camp and Selling the first sold
ier's coat in his teeth, began tugging
at him. The soldier did not under.
stand. Then Tom barked appealingly
but with no more effect Finally he
barked menacingly, with no result
Then the doctor came along. He un,
derstood and Tom gave a yelp of Joy
when he realized that he had succeed
ed. Directed by him the doctor and
the stretcher bearers soon found Dur
and, hidden in thicket, where prob.
ably he would hvae passed unnoticed
until he had either starved or died
from his wounds, had it not been for
Tom. ia III. 81 H. +
They lifted the dead man off, car.
ried Durand back to the ambulance
and. notwithstanding the gravity of
his three wounds he is now mending
all thanks to Tom. ..:s. 49, RI. 3D..
Toms is not an isolated incident of
the devotion of the ambulance deg. A
case is reported from the vicinity OF
Verdun in which dog discovered a
soldier who had been wounded in the
head and who had received first-aid
from one of his comrades, who after
wards had been obliged to abandon
him. His cap had also been lost and
the dog could find nothing that he
could carry back to the ambulance to
report his find, but he had the intelli-
gence not to touch the bandage on
the soldiers head Finally, despair
ing of finding anything he could carry
back, he lay down on the ground OPP
posite the wounded man and howled
dismally until help came. -,
DR.. Vertier, surgeon in the 18th
Army Corps, reports that the ambu.
lance dogs in his corps have saved.
hundreds of lives and that not in q
single instance have they mistaken q
dead body for a wounded man. In
some cases where the soldiers cap
could not be found. the dog has torn
open his knapsack and hunted out
something that he could carry back
to show that he had made a discov
cry.