Just a dog but a hero who in 1918 saved a whole British … battalion from being annihilated by the enemy. Airedale Jack was sent over to France as a messenger and guard. There was a big push on, and he was taken by the Sherwood Foresters to an advanced post. The battle raged, and things went badly against the Foresters. The enemy sent across a terrific barrage, cutting off every line of communication with the headquarters, four miles behind the lines. It was certain that the entire battalion would be wiped out unless reinforcements could be secured from headquarters, but how? It was impossible for any man to creep through the walls of death that surrounded them. But there was just one chance Airedale Jack. – Lt Hunter slipped the vital message into the leather pouch attached to the dog’s collar. A pat on the head and then simply: Jack go back, boy”. “goodbye … The battalion watched Jack slip quietly away, keeping close to the ground and taking advantage of whatever cover there was, as he had been trained to do. The bombardment continued, and the shells fell all around him. A piece of shrapnel smashed the dog’s lower jaw but he … carried on. Another missile tore open his tough, black and tan coat, from shoulder to haunch but on he went, slipping from shell crater – to trench.
Just a dog … but a hero who in 1918 saved a whole British battalion from being annihilated by the enemy. Airedale Jack was sent over to France as a messenger and guard. There was a big push on, and he was taken by the Sherwood Foresters to an advanced post. The battle raged, and things went badly against the Foresters. The enemy sent across a terrific barrage, cutting off every line of communication with the headquarters, four miles behind the lines. It was certain that the entire battalion would be wiped out unless reinforcements could be secured from headquarters, but how? It was impossible for any man to creep through the walls of death that surrounded them. But there was just one chance – Airedale Jack. Lt Hunter slipped the vital message into the leather pouch attached to the dog’s collar. A pat on the head and then simply: “goodbye Jack … go back, boy”. The battalion watched Jack slip quietly away, keeping close to the ground and taking advantage of whatever cover there was, as he had been trained to do. The bombardment continued, and the shells fell all around him. A piece of shrapnel smashed the dog’s lower jaw … but he carried on. Another missile tore open his tough, black and tan coat, from shoulder to haunch – but on he went, slipping from shell crater to trench.
ww1+Airedales+booklet.docx