Dickin Medal

The Dickin Medal was instituted in 1943 in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 by Maria Dickin

Maria Dickin

Maria Elisabeth Dickin CBE was an animal welfare pioneer who founded the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals in 1917.-External links:*...

 to honour the work of animals in war. It is a bronze medallion, bearing the words "For Gallantry" and "We Also Serve" within a laurel wreath

Laurel wreath

A laurel wreath is a circular wreath made of interlocking branches and leaves of the bay laurel , an aromatic broadleaf evergreen. In Greek mythology, Apollo is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head...

, carried on a ribbon of striped green, dark brown and pale blue. It is awarded to animals that have displayed "conspicuous gallantry or devotion to duty while serving or associated with any branch of the Armed Forces or Civil Defence Units". The award is commonly referred to as "the animals' Victoria Cross

Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....

".

Maria Dickin was the founder of the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), a British veterinary charity

Charitable organization

A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...

. She established the award for any animal displaying conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty whilst serving with British Empire

British Empire

The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...

 armed forces or civil emergency services. The medal was awarded 54 times between 1943 and 1949, to 32 pigeons, 18 dogs, 3 horses and a cat, to acknowledge actions of gallantry or devotion during the Second World War.

The awarding of the medal was revived in 2000 to honour Gander

Gander (dog)

Gander was a Newfoundland dog posthumously awarded the Dickin Medal, the "animals' VC", in 2000 for his deeds in World War II, the first such award in over 50 years.-Military service:...

, a Newfoundland

Newfoundland (dog)

The Newfoundland is a breed of large dog. Newfoundlands can be black, brown, gray, or black and white. They were originally bred and used as a working dog for fishermen in the Dominion of Newfoundland, now part of Canada. They are known for their giant size, tremendous strength, calm dispositions,...

 who saved infantrymen during the Battle of Lye Mun

Battle of Hong Kong

The Battle of Hong Kong took place during the Pacific campaign of World War II. It began on 8 December 1941 and ended on 25 December 1941 with Hong Kong, then a Crown colony, surrendering to the Empire of Japan.-Background:...

. In early 2002, the medal was given in honour of three dogs for their role responding to the September 11 attacks; it was also awarded to two dogs serving with Commonwealth forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iraq

Iraq

Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

. In December 2007, 12 former recipients buried at the PDSA Animal Cemetery

Ilford Animal Cemetery

Ilford Animal Cemetery is an animal cemetery in Ilford, London, England, containing over three thousand burials. It was founded in the 1920s and is operated by the PDSA. The cemetery was closed to new burials in the 1960s and gradually became neglected and overgrown. In the early twenty first...

 in Ilford

Ilford

Ilford is a large cosmopolitan town in East London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Redbridge. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It forms a significant commercial and retail...

, Essex

Essex

Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...

, were afforded full military honours at the conclusion of a National Lottery

National Lottery (United Kingdom)

The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...

-aided project to restore the cemetery.

The first recipients of the award, in December 1943, were three pigeons, serving with the Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...

, all of whom contributed to the recovery of air crew from ditched aircraft during the Second World War. The most recent animal to be honoured is Treo

Treo (dog)

Treo is a 9-year-old black Labrador Retriever and a retired explosives detection dog with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps. He was awarded the Dickin Medal in February 2010...

, a black Labrador

Labrador Retriever

The Labrador Retriever is one of several kinds of retriever, a type of gun dog. A breed characteristic is webbed paws for swimming, useful for the breed's original purpose of retrieving fishing nets. The Labrador is the most popular breed of dog by registered ownership in Canada, the United...

, honoured for his "heroic actions as an arms and explosives search dog in Afghanistan". As of August 2011, the Dickin Medal has been awarded 63 times.

Recipients

Recipient(s)	Animal	Date of award	Notes	Ref(s)
White Vision White Vision White Vision was a pigeon who won the Dickin Medal in 1943 for assisting in the rescue of an aircrew forced to ditch in the Second World War....	Pigeon		Delivered a message Pigeon post Pigeon post is the use of homing pigeons to carry messages. Pigeons were effective as messengers due to their natural homing abilities. The pigeons were transported to a destination in cages, where they would be attached with messages, then naturally the pigeon would fly back to its home where the...  that contributed to the rescue of a ditched aircrew in October 1943
Winkie Winkie (pigeon) Winkie was a pigeon who won the Dickin Medal in 1943 for assisting in the rescue of an aircrew forced to ditch in North Sea during the Second World War....	Pigeon		Delivered a message that contributed to the rescue of a ditched aircrew in February 1942
Tyke	Pigeon		Delivered a message that contributed to the rescue of a ditched aircrew in June 1943
Bob			A mongrel, worked on patrol at Green Hill, North Africa; served with the 6th Battalion Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
Beach Comber	Pigeon		Brought the first news of the landings at Dieppe Dieppe Raid The Dieppe Raid, also known as the Battle of Dieppe, Operation Rutter or later on Operation Jubilee, during the Second World War, was an Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. The assault began at 5:00 AM and by 10:50 AM the Allied...  in 1942; served with the Canadian Army Canadian Forces Land Force Command The Canadian Army , previously called Land Force Command, is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces. The current size of the Army is 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers...
Gustav Gustav (pigeon) Gustav, also known as NPS.42.31066, was a pigeon of the RAF pigeon service. He was awarded the Dickin Medal, also known as the animal's Victoria Cross, for bringing the first report of the Normandy landings to the British mainland during the Second World War.-Military service:Gustav was a grizzle...	Pigeon		Brought the first message from the Normandy beaches on 6 June 1944
Paddy Paddy (pigeon) Paddy was an Irish carrier pigeon awarded the Dickin Medal after being the fastest pigeon to arrive back in England with news of the success of the D-Day invasion, out of hundreds dispatched...	Pigeon		Held best recorded time with a message from the Normandy Operations in June 1944
Rip Rip (dog) Rip , a mixed-breed terrier, was a Second World War search and rescue dog who was awarded the Dickin Medal for bravery in 1945. He was found in Poplar, London, in 1940 by an Air Raid Warden, and became the service's first search and rescue dog. He is credited with saving the lives of over 100 people...			A mongrel, located many victims of the air-raids of The Blitz The Blitz The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
Jet			An Alsatian German Shepherd Dog The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog... ,[B] assisted in the rescue of persons trapped under blitzed buildings; served with the Civil Defence Service Civil Defence Service The Civil Defence Service was a civilian volunteer organisation established in Great Britain by the Home Office in 1935. In 1941, during World War II, the use of Civil Defence replaced the pre-existing Air Raid Precautions...
Irma			An Alsatian German Shepherd Dog The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog... ,[B] assisted in the rescue of persons trapped under blitzed buildings; served with the Civil Defence Service Civil Defence Service The Civil Defence Service was a civilian volunteer organisation established in Great Britain by the Home Office in 1935. In 1941, during World War II, the use of Civil Defence replaced the pre-existing Air Raid Precautions...
Beauty Beauty (dog) Beauty , a wirehaired terrier, was a Second World War search and rescue dog considered to be the first rescue dog, who was awarded the Dickin Medal for bravery in 1945...			A Wirehaired Terrier, assisted in the location of buried air-raid victims; served with a PDSA Rescue Squad
Rob Rob (dog) Rob was a Collie dog who in 1945 was awarded the Dickin Medal, considered to be the animals' Victoria Cross. He was alleged to have made over 20 parachute descents during the North African Campaign, serving with the SAS...			A Collie Collie The collie is a distinctive type of herding dog, including many related landraces and formal breeds. It originates in Scotland and Northern England. It is a medium-sized, fairly lightly built dog with a pointed snout, and many types have a distinctive white pattern over the shoulders. Collies... , made over 20 parachute descents during the North African Campaign; served with the Special Air Service Special Air Service Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...  (SAS)[A]
Kenley Lass	Pigeon		First pigeon to deliver intelligence from an agent in enemy-occupied France in October 1940; served with the National Pigeon Service National Pigeon Service The National Pigeon Service was a volunteer civilian organisation formed in Britain in 1938 as result of representations made to the Committee of Imperial Defence and the British Government by Major W.H.Osman....
Navy Blue	Pigeon		Although injured, delivered a message from a raiding party in France, June 1944
Flying Dutchman	Pigeon		Delivered three messages from agents in the Netherlands; missing in action Missing in action Missing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...  on the fourth mission in 1944
Dutch Coast	Pigeon		Delivered an SOS SOS SOS is the commonly used description for the international Morse code distress signal...  message from a ditched aircrew 288 miles in 7.5 hours in April 1942
Commando Commando (pigeon) thumb|right|A photograph of Commando from the Imperial War Museum archives.Commando was a pigeon used in service with the British armed forces during the Second World War to carry crucial intelligence. The pigeon carried out more than ninety missions during the war, and received the Dickin Medal ...	Pigeon		Delivered three messages from agents in occupied France; served with the National Pigeon Service National Pigeon Service The National Pigeon Service was a volunteer civilian organisation formed in Britain in 1938 as result of representations made to the Committee of Imperial Defence and the British Government by Major W.H.Osman....
Royal Blue Royal Blue (pigeon) Royal Blue, also known as NURP.40.GVIS.453, was a male pigeon of the RAF pigeon service. He was awarded the Dickin Medal for bravery in March 1945 for being the first pigeon to deliver a message from an allied forced landed aircraft from the European mainland during World War II...	Pigeon		First pigeon of the war to deliver a message from a forced landed aircraft on the Continent in October 1940
Thorn			An Alsatian German Shepherd Dog The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog... ,[B] located air-raid casualties in a burning building; served with the Civil Defence Service Civil Defence Service The Civil Defence Service was a civilian volunteer organisation established in Great Britain by the Home Office in 1935. In 1941, during World War II, the use of Civil Defence replaced the pre-existing Air Raid Precautions...
Rifleman Khan Rifleman Khan Rifleman Khan was an Alsatian dog who was lent to the War Office to become a military dog during World War II. He was assigned to the Cameronians and took part in the Battle of the Scheldt...			An Alsatian German Shepherd Dog The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog... ,[B] rescued a soldier from drowning while under heavy shell fire during the assault of Walcheren Walcheren thumb|right|250px|Campveer Tower in Veere, built in 1500Walcheren is a former island in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands at the mouth of the Scheldt estuary. It lies between the Oosterschelde in the north and the Westerschelde in the south and is roughly the shape of a rhombus...  in November 1944; served with the 6th Battalion Cameronians
Rex			An Alsatian German Shepherd Dog The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog... ,[B] located casualties in burning buildings; served with the Civil Defence Service Civil Defence Service The Civil Defence Service was a civilian volunteer organisation established in Great Britain by the Home Office in 1935. In 1941, during World War II, the use of Civil Defence replaced the pre-existing Air Raid Precautions...
Ruhr Express	Pigeon		Carried an important message from the Ruhr Pocket Ruhr Pocket The Ruhr Pocket was a battle of encirclement that took place in late March and early April 1945, near the end of World War II, in the Ruhr Area of Germany. For all intents and purposes, it marked the end of major organized resistance on Nazi Germany's Western Front, as more than 300,000 troops were...  in April 1945
William of Orange William of Orange (Pigeon) William of Orange was a male pigeon soldier of MI14 . He was awarded the 21st Dickin Medal for delivering a message from the Arnhem Airborne Operation. This message saved more than 2000 soldiers at the time of the Battle of Arnhem in September 1944. Its official name in military record is...	Pigeon		Held the record time for delivering a message from the Arnhem Airborne Operation Operation Market Garden Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time.... ; served with the National Pigeon Service National Pigeon Service The National Pigeon Service was a volunteer civilian organisation formed in Britain in 1938 as result of representations made to the Committee of Imperial Defence and the British Government by Major W.H.Osman....  (Army)
Scotch Lass	Pigeon		Brought 38 microphotographs across the North Sea North Sea In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...  from the Netherlands, despite injury, in September 1944
Sheila			A Collie Collie The collie is a distinctive type of herding dog, including many related landraces and formal breeds. It originates in Scotland and Northern England. It is a medium-sized, fairly lightly built dog with a pointed snout, and many types have a distinctive white pattern over the shoulders. Collies... , assisted in the rescue of four American airmen lost on the Cheviot Hills Cheviot Hills The Cheviot Hills is a range of rolling hills straddling the England–Scotland border between Northumberland and the Scottish Borders.There is a broad split between the northern and the southern Cheviots...  in a blizzard after a crash in December 1944
Billy	Pigeon		Delivered a message from a bomber which had been force-landed in 1942
Broad Arrow	Pigeon		Brought three important messages from the Continent in 1943; served with the National Pigeon Service National Pigeon Service The National Pigeon Service was a volunteer civilian organisation formed in Britain in 1938 as result of representations made to the Committee of Imperial Defence and the British Government by Major W.H.Osman....  (Special Section)
NPS.42.NS.2780	Pigeon		Brought three important messages from the Continent in 1942 and 1943; served with the National Pigeon Service National Pigeon Service The National Pigeon Service was a volunteer civilian organisation formed in Britain in 1938 as result of representations made to the Committee of Imperial Defence and the British Government by Major W.H.Osman....  (Special Section)
NPS.42.NS.7524	Pigeon		Brought three important messages from the Continent in 1942 and 1943; served with the National Pigeon Service National Pigeon Service The National Pigeon Service was a volunteer civilian organisation formed in Britain in 1938 as result of representations made to the Committee of Imperial Defence and the British Government by Major W.H.Osman....  (Special Section)
Maquis	Pigeon		Brought three important messages from the Continent from 1943 and 1944; served with the National Pigeon Service National Pigeon Service The National Pigeon Service was a volunteer civilian organisation formed in Britain in 1938 as result of representations made to the Committee of Imperial Defence and the British Government by Major W.H.Osman....  (Special Section)
Mary of Exeter Mary of Exeter Mary of Exeter was a carrier pigeon who served with the National Pigeon Service during World War II. She was awarded the Dickin Medal in November 1945 for showing endurance on war service despite injury. She was owned by Charlie Brewer, a cobbler from Exeter. She served with the National Pigeon...	Pigeon		Showed outstanding endurance on war service despite injury
Peter Peter (dog) Peter was a collie dog who in 1945 was awarded the Dickin Medal, considered to be the Victoria Cross for animals. During the later stages of the Second World War he served as a search and rescue dog in London. He attended the 1946 Civil Defence Stand–Down parade, where he was presented to the King...			A Collie Collie The collie is a distinctive type of herding dog, including many related landraces and formal breeds. It originates in Scotland and Northern England. It is a medium-sized, fairly lightly built dog with a pointed snout, and many types have a distinctive white pattern over the shoulders. Collies... , located people trapped under blitzed buildings; served with the Civil Defence Service Civil Defence Service The Civil Defence Service was a civilian volunteer organisation established in Great Britain by the Home Office in 1935. In 1941, during World War II, the use of Civil Defence replaced the pre-existing Air Raid Precautions...
Tommy	Pigeon		Delivered a message from the Netherlands to Lancashire in July 1942; served with the National Pigeon Service National Pigeon Service The National Pigeon Service was a volunteer civilian organisation formed in Britain in 1938 as result of representations made to the Committee of Imperial Defence and the British Government by Major W.H.Osman....
All Alone	Pigeon		Delivered an important message following a flight of over 400 miles in one day in August 1943; served with the National Pigeon Service National Pigeon Service The National Pigeon Service was a volunteer civilian organisation formed in Britain in 1938 as result of representations made to the Committee of Imperial Defence and the British Government by Major W.H.Osman....
Judy			A pedigree Pointer Pointer (dog breed) The Pointer, often called the English Pointer, is a breed of dog developed as a gun dog. It is one of several pointing breeds.-Appearance:... , helped keep morale high among fellow prisoners in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp
Princess	Pigeon		Completed a special mission to Crete, a journey of more than 500 miles over sea, with valuable information
Mercury	Pigeon		Carried out a special task involving a 480-mile flight from Northern Denmark in 1942; served with the National Pigeon Service National Pigeon Service The National Pigeon Service was a volunteer civilian organisation formed in Britain in 1938 as result of representations made to the Committee of Imperial Defence and the British Government by Major W.H.Osman....  (Special Section)
NURP.38.BPC.6	Pigeon		Made three flights in 1941; served with the National Pigeon Service National Pigeon Service The National Pigeon Service was a volunteer civilian organisation formed in Britain in 1938 as result of representations made to the Committee of Imperial Defence and the British Government by Major W.H.Osman....  (Special Section)
G.I. Joe G.I. Joe (pigeon) G.I. Joe was a pigeon noted for his service in the United States Army Pigeon Service.During World War II, G.I. Joe saved the lives of the inhabitants of the village of Calvi Vecchia, Italy, and of the British troops occupying it...	Pigeon		Flew 20 miles in as many minutes, delivering a message which is credited with saving over 100 lives; served with the United States Army Pigeon Service United States Army Pigeon Service The United States Army Pigeon Service was a unit of the United States Army during World War I and World War II...
Punch and Judy			Boxers Boxer (dog) Developed in Germany, the Boxer is a breed of stocky, medium-sized, short-haired dog. The coat is smooth and fawn or brindled, with or without white markings. Boxers are brachycephalic , and have a square muzzle, mandibular prognathism , very strong jaws and a powerful bite ideal for hanging on to... , saved two British officers in Israel by attacking a terrorist
Cologne	Pigeon		Homed Homing pigeon The homing pigeon is a variety of domestic pigeon derived from the Rock Pigeon selectively bred to find its way home over extremely long distances. The wild rock pigeon has an innate homing ability, meaning that it will generally return to its own nest and its own mate...  from a crashed aircraft over Cologne despite injury in 1943
Duke of Normandy	Pigeon		First bird to arrive with message from Paratroops of 21st Army Group on D Day (6 June 1944); served with the National Pigeon Service National Pigeon Service The National Pigeon Service was a volunteer civilian organisation formed in Britain in 1938 as result of representations made to the Committee of Imperial Defence and the British Government by Major W.H.Osman....
NURP.43.CC.1418	Pigeon		Fastest flight carrying a message from the 6th Airborne Division from Normandy, 7 June 1944; served with the National Pigeon Service National Pigeon Service The National Pigeon Service was a volunteer civilian organisation formed in Britain in 1938 as result of representations made to the Committee of Imperial Defence and the British Government by Major W.H.Osman....
DD.43.T.139	Pigeon		Brought message of foundered ship in the Huon Gulf Huon Gulf Huon Gulf is a large gulf in eastern Papua New Guinea, at . It is bordered by Huon Peninsula in the north. Both are named after French explorer Jean-Michel Huon de Kermadec. Huon Gulf is a part of the Solomon Sea. Lae, capital of the Morobe Province is located on the northern coast of the...  in time to salvage it and its cargo; served with the Royal Australian Corps of Signals Royal Australian Corps of Signals The Royal Australian Corps of Signals is one of the 'arms' of the Australian Army. It is responsible for installing, maintaining and operating all types of telecommunications equipment and information systems...
DD.43.Q.879	Pigeon		Only survivor of three pigeons released to warn of an impending counter-attack at Manus Island Manus Island Manus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest island of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth largest island in Papua New Guinea with an area of 2,100 km², measuring around 100 km × 30 km. According to the 2000 census, Manus Island had a... . Reached headquarters in time to extract a U.S. Marine Corps patrol; served with the Royal Australian Corps of Signals Royal Australian Corps of Signals The Royal Australian Corps of Signals is one of the 'arms' of the Australian Army. It is responsible for installing, maintaining and operating all types of telecommunications equipment and information systems...
Ricky			A Welsh Collie Welsh Sheepdog The Welsh Sheepdog is a breed or landrace of herding dog from Wales. Like other types of working dog, Welsh Sheepdogs are normally bred for their herding abilities rather than appearance, and so they are generally somewhat variable in build, colour and size... , located mines along a canal bank at Nederweert Nederweert Nederweert is a municipality and a town in southeastern Netherlands with 16.561 inhabitants as of November 1, 2006 and has a surface area of 101,78 km² ....  in the Netherlands, despite being injured by one
Brian			An Alsatian German Shepherd Dog The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog... ,[B] parachuted into Normandy with 13th Battalion Airborne Division. Also known as Bing
Olga	Horse		Controlled traffic and assisted rescue operations following a flying bomb Flying bomb A flying bomb is a manned or unmanned aerial vehicle or aircraft carrying a large explosive warhead, a precursor to contemporary cruise missiles...  explosion in Tooting Tooting Tooting is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:... ; served with the police
Upstart	Horse		Controlled traffic following a flying bomb Flying bomb A flying bomb is a manned or unmanned aerial vehicle or aircraft carrying a large explosive warhead, a precursor to contemporary cruise missiles...  exploding in Bethnal Green Bethnal Green Bethnal Green is a district of the East End of London, England and part of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, with the far northern parts falling within the London Borough of Hackney. Located northeast of Charing Cross, it was historically an agrarian hamlet in the ancient parish of Stepney,... ; served with the police
Regal	Horse		Remained calm despite being subject to stable fires in Muswell Hill Muswell Hill Muswell Hill is a suburb of north London, mostly in the London Borough of Haringey. It is situated about north of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. Muswell Hill is in the N10 postal district and mostly in the Hornsey and Wood Green parliamentary constituency.- History :The...  caused by explosive incendiaries on two separate occasions
Simon Simon (cat) Simon was the ship's cat who served on the Royal Navy sloop HMS Amethyst. In 1949, during the Yangtze Incident, he received the PDSA's Dickin Medal after surviving injuries from a cannon shell, raising morale, and killing off a rat infestation during his service.-Origin:Simon was found wandering...	Cat		HMS Amethysts ship's cat, awarded for the disposal of many rats despite injury
Antis			An Alsatian German Shepherd Dog The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog... ,[B] served with a Czech Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...  airman in the French Air Force French Air Force The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...  in North Africa, and helped his master escape after the death of Jan Masaryk Jan Masaryk Jan Garrigue Masaryk was a Czech diplomat and politician and Foreign Minister of Czechoslovakia from 1940 to 1948.- Early life :...
Tich			A mongrel, awarded for courage and devotion between 1941–45; served with the 1st Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps King's Royal Rifle Corps The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...
Gander Gander (dog) Gander was a Newfoundland dog posthumously awarded the Dickin Medal, the "animals' VC", in 2000 for his deeds in World War II, the first such award in over 50 years.-Military service:...			A Newfoundland Newfoundland (dog) The Newfoundland is a breed of large dog. Newfoundlands can be black, brown, gray, or black and white. They were originally bred and used as a working dog for fishermen in the Dominion of Newfoundland, now part of Canada. They are known for their giant size, tremendous strength, calm dispositions,... , saved Canadian infantrymen on at least three separate occasions during the Battle of Lye Mun Battle of Hong Kong The Battle of Hong Kong took place during the Pacific campaign of World War II. It began on 8 December 1941 and ended on 25 December 1941 with Hong Kong, then a Crown colony, surrendering to the Empire of Japan.-Background:...  on Hong Kong Island in December 1941; killed in action Killed in action Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...  gathering a grenade
Appollo Appollo (dog) Appollo was a search and rescue dog who served with the K-9 unit of the New York Police Department. He was awarded the Dickin Medal, the animals' equivalent of the Victoria Cross, in recognition of the work done by all search and rescue dogs following the September 11 attacks...			An Alsatian German Shepherd Dog The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog... ,[B] received the award on behalf of all search-and-rescue dogs who assisted in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in 2001
Salty and Roselle			Labrador Labrador Retriever The Labrador Retriever is one of several kinds of retriever, a type of gun dog. A breed characteristic is webbed paws for swimming, useful for the breed's original purpose of retrieving fishing nets. The Labrador is the most popular breed of dog by registered ownership in Canada, the United...  guide dog Guide dog Guide dogs are assistance dogs trained to lead blind and visually impaired people around obstacles.Although the dogs can be trained to navigate various obstacles, they are partially color blind and are not capable of interpreting street signs... s, led their blind owners down more than 70 flights of stairs to escape from the damaged World Trade Center World Trade Center The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...  in September 2001
Sam Sam (army dog) Sam , was an army dog who served with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps Dog Unit. While serving in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s, Sam helped to apprehend an armed man and also to hold back an armed mob besieging a compound where Serbs were taking refuge...			An Alsatian German Shepherd Dog The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog... ,[B] brought down an armed man and held back rioters while serving in Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...  in April 1998; served with The Royal Canadian Regiment The Royal Canadian Regiment The Royal Canadian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. The regiment consists of four battalions, three in the Regular Force and one in the Primary Reserve...  on assignment from the Royal Army Veterinary Corps Royal Army Veterinary Corps The Royal Army Veterinary Corps is an administrative and operational branch of the British Army responsible for the provision, training and care of animals. It is a small but technically competent corps forming part of the Army Medical Services...
Buster Buster (spaniel) Buster , an English Springer Spaniel, is a military detection dog who was active during the Iraq War. Because of his actions in discovering a hidden weapons cache, the dog has been credited with saving service personnel from insurgents operating in the southern Iraqi town of Safwan...			A Springer Spaniel English Springer Spaniel The English Springer Spaniel is a breed of gun dog traditionally used for flushing and retrieving game. It is an affectionate, excitable breed with an average lifespan of twelve to fourteen years. Descended from the Norfolk or Shropshire Spaniels of the mid-19th century, the breed has diverged into... , located a weapons arsenal in Safwan Safwan Safwan is a town in southeast Iraq on the border with Kuwait. It was the site of an Iraqi Air Force base.-Gulf War:Safwan is located in the south of Iraq at Iraqi Kuwaiti border , along the infamous Highway of Death from the Gulf War of 1991. The cease-fire negotiations between Gen... , Southern Iraq in March 2003; served with the Duke of Wellington's Regiment Duke of Wellington's Regiment The Duke of Wellington's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division.In 1702 Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he did in and around the city of Gloucester. As was the custom in those days...
Lucky			An Alsatian German Shepherd Dog The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog... ,[B] the only member of a four-dog team to survive tracking terrorists in Malaya British Malaya British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...  from 1949 to 1952; served with the Royal Air Force Police Royal Air Force Police The Royal Air Force Police is the Service Police branch of the Royal Air Force. It was formed on 1 April 1918, when the RAF was formed by the merger of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service . It is responsible for the policing of all service personnel much like there RN or Army...
Sadie			A Labrador Labrador Retriever The Labrador Retriever is one of several kinds of retriever, a type of gun dog. A breed characteristic is webbed paws for swimming, useful for the breed's original purpose of retrieving fishing nets. The Labrador is the most popular breed of dog by registered ownership in Canada, the United... , detected explosive devices, which were subsequently disarmed, while serving in Kabul, Afghanistan, in November 2005; served with the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire was an infantry regiment of the British Army.It was formed in 1994 by the amalgamation of two English regiments.*The Gloucestershire Regiment...
Treo Treo (dog) Treo is a 9-year-old black Labrador Retriever and a retired explosives detection dog with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps. He was awarded the Dickin Medal in February 2010...			A Labrador Labrador Retriever The Labrador Retriever is one of several kinds of retriever, a type of gun dog. A breed characteristic is webbed paws for swimming, useful for the breed's original purpose of retrieving fishing nets. The Labrador is the most popular breed of dog by registered ownership in Canada, the United... , located improvised explosive device Improvised explosive device An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action... s while serving in Helmand Province Helmand Province Helmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation.... , Afghanistan in August and September 2008; served with Royal Army Veterinary Corps Royal Army Veterinary Corps The Royal Army Veterinary Corps is an administrative and operational branch of the British Army responsible for the provision, training and care of animals. It is a small but technically competent corps forming part of the Army Medical Services...

External links

A documentary about pigeons involved in the Second World War, many of whom won the Dickin Medal Images of Beauty, Rip, Jet, Rex and Irma