Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-02-01
A Soldier Dog
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By ETHEL HOLMES
Is17. western Newspaper Union.l

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When we heard that the Germans
were about to invade France my BROTH
er, Pierre, and l contended which
should join the colors-for we were
both exempt from military service
the other to remain with mother. She
decided the matter by telling us that
we must both go to the defense of our
country and so we did.
Pierre had a small dog of mongrel
breed which was very much attached to
him and he was IS much attached to
the dog. My brother who was an adj
mirer of the great Napoleon had
named him Nap.
Nap knew as well as any of us
that something of great Importance
was ~transpiring In the family and that
his master was concerned In 1t. He
hung about Pierre all the day that we
were preparing for u departure and
when we left home, seeing rs kiss our
mother good-by, he knew very well
that we were going away. He trotted
along beside us for some distance
when Pierre stopped and taking him
In his arms said to him:
"Now. Nap, I must say good-by to
you. Go back home and take good
care of mother"
Nap must have understood what he
said for he whined pitifully. Pierre
released him, and we walked on, Nap
looking at us wistfully wagging his
tail, his affection for his master strug-
Cling with his sense of obedience. The
former soon conquered and he came
after us, cringing and whining to be
permitted to go with us. Pierre tried
in every way to drive him back, and
failed. I suggested that we take him
along with us and have him trained
for carrying messages or hunting out
the wounded on the battlefield. Pierre
consented and when he called to Nap,
the dog dashed to his side springing
in the air for joy.
Pierre and l enlisted in the same
regiment and left Nap to be trained
at the training school for dogs. But
they could not keep him, he ran away
and hunted through the army till he
found his beloved master. 1t was then
suggested that Pierre train him, and
Pierre was detailed for this duty.
Nap was found to be so efficient in
carrying messages that after awhile
he was used almost exclusively for
this purpose. He seemed to know,
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the nature of the duty required of
him, and soon became very expert in
running the gantlet of the enemy's
fire, taking advantage of any cover
within his reach, such as high weeds
or grass, logs, fences or woods.
Nap was sent with a message one
day and when HE came back with the
reply was badly wounded. He was
carried to the hospital for animals
and was given every care. 1t was
necessary to keep him confined till his
wound had healed and when this was
effected he started off on a run to join
his master. But he soon found out
how weak he was and proceeded more
l~eisurely. Nevertheless, when he had
spent some time in Pierre's lap licking
his hand and Pierre was called to the
trenches-where Nap was nev al
lowed-the dog appeared in the gen.
erals tent, and looking up at the COM
mander wagged his tail and whined
for another message to carry. Many
q soldier has been eager to rejoin his
command on recovering from a wound,
but Nap is the only dog I have ever
known to perform this act of heroism.
I had the misfortune to lose my
brother, Pierre, during the struggle
for Verdun. He was reported among
the missing after one of the attacks
made on our works by the Germans,
and his body was not found for sew
eral days, when we had recovered
ground that we had lost.
After the fight our regiment was
given a rest. Nap looked everywhere
for his master. When he did not find
a whole day had passed and Pierre
did not appear the dog remained with
our company waiting for him to re-
turn. After two or three days Nap
must have made up his mind that his
master had been killed, for he showed
intense grief.
When the regiment was ordered on
duty again we pushed forward several
hundred yards. Nap went with us.
After some fighting 1 missed the dog
and concluded to make a search for
him, While doing SO 1 entered a wood.
Hearing a moan I followed the direc-
ton from which it came and soon
came upon Nap beside his masters
dead body.
Pierre was given a soldiers burial
and a wooden cross was erected over
the grave. Little Nap alone refused
to leave the spot where his master
lay. I took food to him but he would
not touch 1t. An order came from the
general to take him to headquarters,
as he was needed for an important
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