The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-04-25
THE RED CROSS DOG
His Humanitarian Service on tn,
Battlefields Of Europe.

Ellwood Hendricks in the Red Cross
Magazine: Dogs are never trained
to scent out the dead. Their bust
ness Is to assist the wounded.
There are canine sentries on duty
on both sides in the great war, and
dogs that are despatch bearers. Mar.
quis, French dog, fell dead from
bullet wound almost at the feet of
group Of French soldiers to whom he
bore message across shell raked
stretch of country. But the mes
sage was delivered! And there is
Stop, of the Fifteenth army corps,
the savior of many wounded, and
Flora, of the Twelfth alpine chasseurs,
merciful dogs Of war with regulations
for distinguished service. There are
many Stops and Floras actively en-
gagged in humanitarian service. and it
is quite unfair for me to single out
individual animals conference of
dogs of war would doubtless so de-
cide--eXcept as a means of giving
typical stories of what are every day
exhibitions of intelligence. devotion
and self sacrifice on the part Of dogs
Of numerous breeds in the vast zone
of battle.
The people in the warning coun-
tries are called on for many and var.
led contributions. The French war
department has on record a COM,
munication from the father of a FAM
lily which poignantly illustrates this,
for he wrote: II already have three
sons and a sonin-law with the colors;
now give up my dog, and vive la
France!"
In the campaign on the eastern
front Lieutenant Won Wieland led u
party of men in an attack On the
Russian trenches. Seeing the task
hopeless on account of the Russian
fire, the officer signaled retreat
Turning with the soldiers that were
left he made for the trenches and
safety. When he had covered less
than half the distance a rifle ball
shattered the bone of his leg and
down he fell amidst the stirl bodies
of the men who had set out with him,
and lay there in the blood and muck
and filth Of the battlefield. The Rus
sian fire was SO murderous that no
one dared bring him in. Presently a
dark form bounded from the German
trenches, rushed to Lieutenant Won
Wieland's side, grabbed his coat be-
tween his teeth and foot by foot
dragged him to safety. Once, but
only for a moment, did he loosen his
hold. and that was when a bullet
Creased him from shoulder to flank.
The blood gushed from the wound. but
the dog took a fresh hold and finish
ed his job at the edge Of the trench
where willing hands lifted the lieu
tenant down to safety. They had to
lift the dog down, too, because just
then bullet broke both his fore
legs.
1t was the lieutenants dog, Steif,
that, when his masters hour had
struck, gnawed through his leash and
rushed to him. There are evidences
that Steif is partly of great Dane
breed, partly mastiff and partly
hound. but the rest of him Is pure
dog miscellany.
Man and dog were both taken to
the hospital and the surgeons worked
as hard over the one as they did
over the other. Then one day, when
his majesty made his rounds. they
brought Steif in on cot and placed
him beside the lieutenant. The EN-.
peror had heard the story and as he
came along he took from the supply
that he carried with him an iron
cross, which he pinned upon Well
and's bosom. Then, taking another
iron cross. he tied it to the collar
of the dog.