, 1916-04-05
SOME R~EGIMENTAL PETS.

events in peace time, the regimenlal mascot
has q very happp life. Dutlug he past year
many Of our soldiers took their pets to the
front with them. Some, alas have been
killed; Il few owe their confined existence
to the bravery aud devotion of men who risk
ed tLelr lives to save them; Others so at
Ieast the soldiers VIII tell you-showel an
amazing calmuess under fire, and an inditfer-
ence to danger worthy Of a seasoned cam
paigner. One soldier, for instance, wiring OF
a pet cat, said: "Our dear little b lack kitty
stayed with Us during the whole of the fghtp
ing, and though shells were bursting all
around, she di1 not seem frightened, aud
took no harm. You may guess that we made
a fuss Of her when it was all over"
The Canadian troops on Salisbury Plain
also possessed u pet ca~t-"Tabby', q beautI-
full Persian. She was brought over by The
A Company of tire LIST Battalion and was a
general ~favourite in the camp.
There are many thousands of people who
firmly believe that a black cat brings luck.
Probably The ranks of believers are now
swelled by the addition of some member OF
the London Scottish on the active service. A
gallant member of the staff Of the Royal
Society for the Prevention Of Cruelty to Ami
mails sent the following interesting postcard:
"On0 night the Germans attacked our tren-
ches Just before dawn. just prior to the at
tack a huge black cat appeared over the top
Of the trench and STAYED with me and my
three companions until the sAindy was over
and the enemy repulsed. Where it came from
and where it went 10 | don't know. We
were in a thick wood with the nearest house
miles away. The beast was quite quiet aud
ate some bully"
A most unusual regimental pet is the don
key which attached itself to the Let City OF
London Battalion, II f. A., in lis training
quar ters on Hampstead Heath. 1t became
GU most friendly terms with the men and in
sisted upon staying near them while they
We're at work.
In one of the Belgian regiments is a perky
little monkey mascot. He wears jersey and
cap, and his wrinkled face is very wise and
sad. He looks as if he could tell us far more
than the newspapers know about the terrible
war! He has been through some of the hot
test hgh ing, aud the men OF his regiment
are very proud of the mascot.
Another monkey mascot is with the Cana
dian contingent or Salisbury Plain. He was
owned by an organ-grinder, and used, in old
days before the war, to go begging for cop
pers from a hand-organ III the fnr-nway
stress of Toronto. He thinks his master has
found Il much more interesting way of life;
and ne never sighs for the organ around any
more than does the soldier who brought him!
A notable pet is the sheep belonging to
the RIA, which some of the soldiers found
near the camp in an exhausted state and al
most dead. The men took care Of it and
brought it back TO life. and it is now the re-
glmental mascot.
Ok terriers seem to be the favourite mas
cots of our flying men. Aviator Gerard and
the French airman, Sadi Lecointre, each
have o terrier companion on every flight.
The perky little dogs are SO eager to go up,
they seem to find life on terra frma quite a
tame affair
The Welsh regiments generally have a
goat for a pet; and a Welsh warrior, reading
''Eye-Witness'" report that "the regimental
pet goat of a certain famous regiment had
died on active service" remarked that he
and his comrades "didn't quite know which
Billy to weep for; but anyhow" he added,
"the boys will miss him; it won't be funny to
them"
But if it was the Billy presented by Gu en-
Victoria to a certain" Welsh regiment whose
death "Eye- Witness" recorded, then a very
famous mascot has passed away. For that
Billy marched into Bloemfontein at the head
Of his battalion. and it is even said that SO