Animal War Heroes

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What do 38 dogs, 32 pigeons, 4 horses, and 1 cat have in common? They’re all recipients of the Dickin Medal, the highest award an animal can receive for military service. The first Dickin Medal was awarded in 1943 to a pigeon named Winkie, who flew more than 100 miles from a downed plane to deliver a plea for help. The Dickin Medal has been awarded to 75 animals, and the honor is regarded as the animal equivalent to the Victoria Cross (similar to the U.S. Medal of Honor).

Maria Dickin founded a British veterinary charity called the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) in 1917. She knew she had to do something to change the world when she saw how animals were struggling in poverty-stricken areas of London. She established the PDSA to ease the suffering of animals and their owners. Four years after its founding, the PDSA had seven clinics in London and was treating an estimated 40,000 animals. It continued to flourish and expanded to six countries outside of the United Kingdom. 

In addition to helping animals, Dickin wanted to emphasize the importance of animals in our lives. This prompted her to create the Dickin Medal, which recognizes, honors, and remembers animals who served in the military. Let’s meet four inspiring Dickin Medal recipients, who are some of the greatest animal heroes of Dickin’s time.    

Judy the Dog

Dogs have earned their title as “man’s best friend” time and time again throughout history. Known for their loyalty, dogs are steadfast companions who stick with their human friends though thick and thin. This is especially true of the hundreds of thousands of dogs who have bravely worked alongside service members in military conflicts. In wartime, dogs’ superior senses and capabilities make them invaluable to the armed forces. They are able to act as guards and scouts and can lead patrols and deliver messages. Dogs can also use their exceptional sense of smell to detect hidden explosives.

Dogs often form deep bonds with the service members they work with. This was the case for a dog named Judy, who served in the Royal Navy on the HMS Grasshopper during World War II. Judy was the ship’s mascot. She boosted the morale of crew members and provided comfort. She also kept watch over the sailors, using her keen sense of hearing to listen for threats. When the HMS Grasshopper was sunk by enemy planes, Judy’s bond with her fellow crew members was tested—but she proved herself to be a devoted ally. 

After the HMS Grasshopper sank, Judy and the crew swam to a nearby island. Now safe from enemy attacks, the crew faced a new problem: survival. Stranded on an island with no help on the way, the crew struggled to find food and water. When two days had passed with nothing to eat or drink, the men were frightened and desperate. It seemed certain that the crew was going to die there, helpless and alone, then Judy began to dig in the sand. To everyone’s amazement, she found a freshwater spring. The crew was able to survive and escape the island.

But the sailors still faced many hardships. They traveled in search of allies who could aid them. Unfortunately, they were captured by Japanese soldiers before they could get to safety. The crew was taken to a prisoner of war camp and were treated cruelly. Despite being struck when defending her mates from beatings, Judy maintained her devotion to her friends. She formed a special bond with Leading Aircraftman Frank Williams, who was so fond of Judy that he shared his meager rations with her. 

When Judy’s mates were being sent by ship to a new prisoner of war camp, they snuck Judy on board. Luck was certainly not on the crew’s side, and the ship was sunk by an air strike during the journey. Faced with another dire situation, Judy acted quickly, paddling through the water and pushing driftwood to people who couldn’t swim. 

On solid ground once again, Judy wasn’t out of danger. Rather than being sent to the next camp, Judy was supposed to be killed. But she was easy to like, and one of the commanders from the enemy camp had developed a fondness for her. He spared Judy’s life and had her declared an official prisoner of war. Judy is the only dog to have been declared a prisoner of war during World War II. With Frank by her side, Judy survived to see the end of the war and made it home to Britain. 

Judy was awarded the Dickin Medal in May 1946 for her exceptional courage and intelligence.

G.I. Joe the Pigeon

Pigeons are the unsung heroes of many military conflicts. It’s easy to overlook pigeons when thinking of heroic actions at war, but the messages they carried saved countless lives during World War I and World War II. These messages were often short and urgent and contained calls for help, important coordinates, and status reports. 

Messenger pigeons were first used thousands of years ago, in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. These birds have extraordinary homing abilities, meaning they can navigate back to their homes from very far distances. Messenger pigeons can travel over 500 miles in a day, at an average speed of 60 miles per hour. These abilities make them the ideal candidates to carry important, time-sensitive messages, especially during times when other methods of communication were unavailable. 

In 1943, during the middle of World War II, the 6th London Infantry was making incredible progress. In fact, they had liberated an Italian town so far ahead of schedule that they were in danger of being caught in a planned attack from their own Allied forces. An American pigeon named G.I. Joe came to the rescue. Carrying a critical message telling the Allied forces to call off the attack, G.I. Joe took flight, and flew 20 miles in just 20 minutes. His delivery of this message stopped the bombers in the nick of time and saved the lives of countless people. 

G.I. Joe is the first non-British Dickin Medal recipient. He received his medal on November 4, 1946, for “making the most outstanding flight by a U.S. Army pigeon throughout the whole of World War II.” 

Warrior the Horse

Known for their strength and power, horses played a vital role in World War I. It’s estimated that over 8 million horses served in World War I, where they were mainly used for transportation, communication, and hauling supplies. Despite rapid technological advancements, horses were still used for traditional cavalry charges against enemy forces throughout World War I.  

It took incredible strength, courage, and training for these animals to serve in an industrialized, modern war. A war horse named Warrior was awarded the first Honorary Dickin Medal on behalf of every animal who served on the front lines during World War I. This honorary medal ensures that the achievements, sacrifices, and devotion of all animals who served in combat during World War I are recognized. 

Warrior the Horse was chosen for this honor because of his heroics and bravery. Despite facing incredible challenges on the battlefield, including being fired at by machine guns, having artillery shells dropped on him, and getting trapped under a burning stable twice, Warrior prevailed and earned the title “the horse the Germans could not kill.” The story of Warrior’s resilience is preserved through this award, as is the story of Warrior’s rider, General Jack Seely.

Simon the Cat

Despite having a reputation for hating water, cats have been sailing on ships for thousands of years. From joining ancient Egyptians on their trade routes to exploring the sea with Vikings, cats have historically been important members of ships’ crews. These cats weren’t just friendly faces. They worked as hunters on ships, catching rats and mice. These rodents were more than just nuisances—if left unchecked, they could chew through ropes and wires, gobble up food, and spread disease. 

To prevent these pesky rodents from taking over their ships, the Royal Navy often had ship’s cats. These cats were typically beloved by crew members and were given special treatment and rewards. When times were tough, sailors were glad to have a furry friend with them on board. This was especially true for sailors on the HMS Amethyst, who were lucky enough to have a very special crew member sailing with them—a cat named Simon.   

On April 20, 1949, the HMS Amethyst was attacked while sailing up the Yangtze River in China, killing 22 sailors, including the ship’s captain, and injuring 31 more. The HMS Amethyst was stranded in the river with limited food and supplies, and a damaged ship was susceptible to a rodent infestation. Despite being injured, Simon was determined to protect his ship. Standing alone against an army of particularly large and vicious rats, Simon guarded the ship’s supplies. 

This was no easy task. Simon was outnumbered and faced with rats that were ferocious enough to attack the sailors. Still, he stood his ground bravely, even against a fearsome rat the sailors had named Mao Tse-tung. Mao Tse-tung was greedy, known for repeatedly breaking into the supplies and stealing food. Simon was unfazed by this formidable foe. When he killed Mao Tse-tung, his fellow crew members were so impressed they gave Simon a promotion. Now ranking as an Able Seaman, Simon patrolled the ship for the entire three-month period that the HMS Amethyst was stranded in the river. He continued to protect the ship from invading rats and cheered up injured sailors. 

Those who sailed with Simon agreed that his behavior was “of the highest order” and saw how he acted with “unrelenting faithfulness.” After the danger had passed and the HMS Amethyst was safe at home in England, Simon was awarded the Dickin Medal for his heroic actions. He is the only cat to have been given this honor.

Do you know an animal who has shown remarkable heroism while serving in the military? You can nominate them for the PDSA Dickin Medal here.