The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-08-17
GERMAN " AR Dogs.
Master of Hounds Tells How They
Find Wounded Left Behind.

in far-Off corners of battle fields and
REPORT to their masters is we'll de-
scribed by F. ]. Bleyler, in charge OF
some of these dogs on the eastern
front, in a letter reproduced in the
Cologne Gazette of October II, says
the New York Times.
Bleyler and his dogs were station
ed at Skwa, in Poland, when he re-
ceived instructions to take number
of them across the Narew with all
possible dispatch, as there had been
a lively fight and many wounded men
had been left where they had fallen.
Bleyler obeyed, keeping by his side a
dog called Tell, especially adept at
finding wounded men.
1--we drew nearer and nearer to the
NareW," he writes, until we came
to the second position occupied by
our troops, when our leader, Lieu
tenant G., stopped in order to give
us the necessary instructions. Be-
fore us lay big stretch of land COW
cred with scrub, and beyond numer-
Gus potato fields. 1 walked to
the nearest field, called quietly to
the dog, which I had unleashed,
Look for wounded and followed in
the direction taken by Tell. 1 went
slowly, availing myself of every bit
of cover, for the enemy's positions
were disagreeably near and the hum
ming of Russian bullets in the air
was unceasing.
"Soon Tell returned. His search
had been in vain. I turned more to
the right toward the Narew, ap-
preaching a bit of woods. Again,
obeying my order, the dog disappear
ed into the darkness. In a few min
utes he appeared at top speed, leap
ing upon me, and pressed his big
jaws against my breast, proving
clearly that he had found
81 put him on the leash and off he
went at such a speed that I had to
hang on with both hands. He ran
about hundred yards and stopped
before human form crouched down
in the bushes.
"a hand is appraised. God be
thanked comes from pale lips.
''The man had received a shot in
the leg and, while trying to bind it,
a second bullet had smashed his arm.
After laboriously dragging himself
into the bushes, he had lain there
two days until at last the dog found
him.
''I gave him swallow of cold tea,
put his knapsack comfortably under
his head, and promised to send bear
ers with stretcher at once. In the
meantime Tell had vanished once
more into the darkness. He stayed
away for a long time. In vain I
summoned him quietly. At last, from
somewhere in the blackness, hear a
low whimpering, and catch sight of
Tell with a wounded soldier, who is
holding him by the collar.
knowledge of how these dogs do
their work is unfortunately not COM
mon among our soldiers. Most of
them think that the dogs must stay
beside the wounded men whom they
find and give notice Of their discov-
cry by barking. This practice has
long ago been given up by the Ger
man ambulance corps, since it was
too dangerous, and now only dogs
are sent to the front that noiselessly
announce their finds.
Il hasten to this second man, who
is seriously wounded by shrapnel,
giye him a drink and repeat my
promise to send help. For while
after that I have no success; then,
however, Tell discovers two wound
ed men at once, who have crawled
into a crater made by shell. The
condition of one of them who has
received an ugly wound in the ab-
domen, holds out little hope.
t"Tell's next find is not badly
wounded, but has lain in a swamp
pool for two days, breast-high in wa
ter and is so frozen he can hardly
move a muscle,
81 had to search an hour before I
could get any help for these wound
ed men. Then Tell tugs at my
clothes, makes me strike out in di-
rection at right angles, digs furious
ly with his nose and forepaws at a
huge hole left by shell, and lays
bare a human body which has been
lying there partially covered with
sand and earth. The man is uncon-
scious, but breathes still.
"Now at full speed to the first aid
station, to get stretchers. On the
,,-.,~ can1 ho1n