New Britain herald., 1917-07-30
live Dogs OF WAR
GUARD front line
CANNES Valuable in Hearing
Steps Of Night Raiders
Correspondence of The Associated


Press)
French Front, June 29.-Dog-senti-
nels of the French army take their
regular turn of repose together with
their human comrades IN the rest
camps of the second line where they
are relieved for time from the nerve
racking thunder of the cannon which
is their daily lot in the front trenches.
The Associated Press correspondent
today saw a number of these animals
frisking about with their soldier
friends in the waters of a canal run
ing through the territory of the
Somme whence recently the Germans
were driven. The dogs appeared to
enjoy their relaxation just as much as
the men, with whom they had just
marched back from the trenches after
a spell of duty lasting twelve days.
.These dogs, mostly of the sheep
dog species, do most valuable service,
at night more especially, in company
with the 1ook-outs who have the task
Of keeping an unfailing guard on the
front lines. The dogs have become
quite accustomed to the roar and
: bursting of shells, which, when the
animals were first sent to the fight
ing line, caused them to run off with
tnelr tails dropping.
Now when the human sentinels are
posted right in face of the enemy the
dogs take up their position quite
naturally beside them and keep a
sharp watch out over mo mans land"
Their ears perk up at the slightest
rustic in the darkness in front, but
the dogs do not bark or growl In
stead they call the attention of the
soldier sentry by wagging their tails
and moving about nervously. On many
occasions they have given notice in
this way of an enemy patrol moving
about stealthily in front and have per-
ceived the approach of raiding parties
of Germans long before their human
companions had any idea that any
hostile movement was in progress.
Dogs Prevented Six Raids.
In fact, a considera BILE part OF the
French success in beating off German
raids has been due to the dog-sentinels
Route vision and hearing. One battalion |
of the famous Alpine Chasseurs which |
possesses number of these animals |
has. owing to their alertness, been en-
abled to prepare timely defence on |
six occasions this month against Ger
man night attacks. When the Ger |
mans arrived at the French wire |
they found the rif1e-men waiting for |
them and they were driven back with |
heavy losses, while the Chasseurs |
themselves never lost a man killed.
All the soldiers at the front have
learned to have very strong confidence
in the instinct of their dog COM
panions, who participate in all their
pefHls and often save them from
death or capture.
Efforts were made at one time to
use the dogs as companions of the
French night patrol which creep out
between the lines to try to see what !
Is going on in the enemys trenches. |
The experiment, however, was not en- |
tirely successful, as sometimes two |
French patrols would meet and the |
dogs accompanying one party would |
attack the men composing the other |
If the same men always went out on
patrol duty it would be different, as
the dogs would learn to recognize |
them even in the dark, but this Is not |
possible
The dogs are placed on the regiment !
nj rosters in the same way as the |
soldiers and they also draw regular !
ratons. In the front trenches they
share with the soldiers all the dis
comforts of underground life, and
when the men are relieved they go
with them to enjoy the comforts of
environments. Then they are clearly
housed in kennels, are washed and
brushed and regularly fed, and they
are at all times petted by the men,
WHO regard them as true comrades.
The utilization of dogs for war work
Is extending daily, and those animals
found unsuita Bile for active service at
the front are proving of practical use
In the guarding of munition works and
other depots in the rear