Jackie: Enraged the Nazis During WWII

Jackie, a part Dalmatian dog, made history in the early 1940s, shortly before the invasion of the Soviet Union, for causing a political incident between his owner, his owner's company and Nazi Germany.

Tor Borg, a Finnish businessman, and his dog Jackie

Documents about the incident were discovered some 60 years after it happened. According to the documents, an anonymous source notified Nazi authorities of Tor Borg and his dog Jackie who would raise a single paw whenever he heard the name "Hitler" - imitating the Nazi salute.

Borg was interrogated by the Germans. He admitted that Jackie occasionally did this when his wife, a known anti-Nazi German, called him "Hitler" (a nickname she'd given him because of the way he raised his paw) but insisted that neither his family nor his dog had done anything "that could be seen as an insult against the German Reich". For three months, the Foreign Office investigated ways to bring Borg to trial, but no witnesses would come forward to allow charges to be pressed against him. Attempts were also made to economically sabotage his business - which is now a leading wholesale pharmaceutical company in Scandinavia. It is unclear whether Hitler had ever been aware or involved in the incident.

According to Klaus Hillenbrand (historian and journalist) on the absurdity of the Nazi effort regarding Jackie, "The dog affair tells us the Nazis were not only criminals and mass murderers, they were silly as hell. There are very few things you can laugh about because what they did was so monstrous. But there were two or three dozen people discussing the affair of the dog rather than preparing for the invasion of the Soviet Union. They were crazy."

Jackie died of natural causes and Borg died at the age of 60 in 1959.

Seven Honored Dogs Who Saved Lives From the Blitz Bombings

Seven dogs became famous in history as heroes for having saved many lives from ruined buildings during the German bombing campaign on British cities during WWII.

When the Germans failed to cripple Britain's air power in anticipation of a land invasion, Hitler decided to create sheer terror as his weapon of choice in hopes that the government would surrender. On September 7, 1940 the Luftwaffe (the Nazi German Air Force) began a bombing campaign against London and other British cities. The bombings, which occurred mostly at night, became known as the blitz - an abbreviation of the German word blitzkrieg meaning lightning war. The attacks continued for eight months, ending May 11, 1941. When over, more than one million people were homeless and tens of thousands were injured and killed (including many civilians), but the Luftwaffe failed at what they were hoping for. More would have died if it weren't for the following dogs:

Irma

Irma was initially a messenger dog in the war but was later retrained to become a search and rescue dog. She had a remarkable ability of finding victims buried under difficult places and even had a special bark to let her handler know if the buried person was alive or dead. On one occasion, Irma signaled with an alive bark and rescuers dug out a man who was apparently dead, but the man eventually stirred proving Irma was right. Irma and a young dog named Psyche who was being trained helped locate 233 people, 21 of whom were found alive.

Beauty

Not all victims from the blitz attacks were people, many were beloved pets. Beauty belonged to Bill Barnett, a PDSA (People's Dispensary for Sick Animals - UK veterinary charity) superintendent who led a rescue squad for animals. Barnett would take Beauty with him on rescue missions to keep him company, but the dog soon wanted to join in on the search. She started to dig in the rubble and within minutes Beauty found a cat, her first of 63 animals she went on to save.

Jet

Jet was initially trained in anti-sabotage work and was later trained in search and rescue duties. He helped save over 100 people from ruined buildings. Historian Ian Kikuchi, who works at Imperial War Museum London said "Even when searching piles of the remains of factories full of dangerous chemical and poisonous smoke, Jet's incredible sense of smell was still able to detect survivors." He was not afraid to enter burning buildings, and once found an elderly woman in a building that was already considered thoroughly searched.

Rip

Rip was a stray dog after his home was bombed and was adopted by the Air Raid Warden. He was made the unit's mascot but began sniffing out casualties when taken to the bombing sites, a job he enjoyed doing. Like Beauty, he was never trained for search and rescue work but took to it instinctively. He was credited for rescuing more than 100 victims.

Peter

Before Peter was offered to the government for war service, he was always getting into trouble such as fighting with other dogs and chewing anything he could get hold of. He was trained as a rescue dog and proved to be a good one. He was credited for finding many bodies and saving six lives, including the life of a small boy. It is said Peter's speed in finding victims saved the men many hours of useless digging.

Rex and Thorn

Rex, trained as a rescue dog, saved 65 people by physically dragging them out of the rubble and leading rescuers to those he couldn't. It is said his uncanny intelligence and outstanding determination helped him find victims in burning buildings despite the intense heat, thick smoke and smouldering debris.

Thorn, who came from a distinguished line of search and rescue dogs, was fearless when finding casualties in unstable situations. Rescuers were baffled in how well he could pick up a scent, including the time he found a family trapped under a burning house, having saved all of their lives.

All seven dogs were awarded the Dickin Medal, the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross, in 1945 for the outstanding work they did during the German blitzkrieg attacks.

Just Nuisance: Simon's Town Mascot

Just Nuisance became famous in history as the beloved mascot to the sailors in Simon's Town during WWII.

Just Nuisance was born on April Fool's day 1937 in Cape Town, South Africa. The Great Dane who grew to stand 6 feet 6 inches tall on his hind legs was sold to Benjamin Chaney. After buying the pup, Chaney relocated to the naval base in Simon's Town to run the United Services Institute where Royal Navy ships often docked.

When old enough to get around on his own, the gangly dog was allowed to roam freely. He quickly became friends with the sailors and would follow them around, including aboard their ships. He loved lying on the ship's deck, especially at the top of the gangplank making it difficult for the men to come on and off the ship. Because of this, the sailors affectionately began calling him Nuisance.

When the sailors were on leave, they would often take the train to Cape Town which was 22 miles away with many stations in between. Wanting to join in on the fun, Nuisance would hop aboard the train and the men would try their best to hide the big dog. When discovered, the conductor would force Nuisance off at the next stop but the determined dog would catch another train to meet up with his friends. Eventually, despite people willing to pay the dog's fare, Chaney was warned that if his dog did not stop boarding the train he would be put down. This upset many, including the sailors and local townspeople.

To solve the problem, Nuisance was officially enlisted in the Royal Navy on August 25, 1939, entitling him to ride on the trains for free. He underwent the required medical examination and even signed the enlistment papers with a paw print. Nuisance was given as his last name and Just as his first. His trade was listed as Bonecrusher and his religious affiliation as Scrounger which was later changed to Canine Divinity League (anti-vivisection) - one who opposes the practice of performing operations on live animals for the purpose of experimentation or scientific research.

Just Nuisance had his own bed on base but would sometimes sleep on a ship's bunk. On one occasion, a sailor had to sleep on the floor because the dog refused to leave the bed.

Just Nuisance, who was promoted to Able Seaman, never went to sea. His duties were ashore, watching over the sailors, boosting morale and helping to raise money for the war effort. He would attend promotional events, including parades and his own wedding to another Great Dane named Adinda. Just Nuisance soon became the proud father of five puppies, two of which were auctioned off in Cape Town by the Mayor for war funds.

Just Nuisance was good at watching over the men. He would break up bar fights and even escort drunken sailors back to the base. However, he had his own share of misdeeds such as boarding a train without his free pass, refusing to leave bars at closing time, going AWOL (absence without leave), losing his collar, and sleeping on a bed belonging to a Petty Officer.

Due to health problems caused by a car accident, Just Nuisance was discharged from the Navy in January 1944. His condition worsened and on April 1, his 7th birthday, he was put to sleep. The following day, his body was covered with a Royal Naval flag and buried with full military honors at Klaver Camp on top of Red Hill.

Just Nuisance became quite a celebrity in life. Tourists from around the world visit his gravesite, his statue on Jubilee Square, and the town's museum that has a special section honoring the Great Dane.

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Chips: Decorated War Hero

Chips became famous in history as the most decorated dog hero of WWII but his medals were later taken away because he was considered equipment and not a soldier who risked his life to save fellow soldiers.

During World War II, shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, thousands of patriotic pet owners across America donated their dogs to the K-9 Corps for the war effort. Chips, a German shepherd mix, was one of the first dogs to be shipped overseas.

Chips, three years old at the time, was donated by the Wren family of Pleasantville, NY and was sent to Front Royal, Virginia for training as a sentry dog in 1942. Spirited and quick to learn, Chips served bravely with General Patton's Seventh Army in Africa, Italy and other parts of Europe.

In the invasion landing at Casablanca, Chips and his handler Private John Rowell were among the first to go ashore while bombers attacked from above. Rowell quickly dug a foxhole for him and his dog - the holes were barely deep enough to protect them from the fragments that whizzed over them. When the planes left, Rowell leaped up and began deepening his hole to make it safer before the planes returned. Chips soon caught on to the idea and began scooping his own foxhole deeper.

In the fighting that followed, Chips marched with the battalion by day and stood guard at night. In January 1943, Chips was one of four dogs who patrolled the wired encampment where President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill stayed while attending the historic Casablanca Conference.

In July 1943, Chips and his battalion landed on the shore of southern Sicily near Licata in Operation Husky. As the platoon worked its way inland they came under fire from a disguised pillbox (a dug-in guard post). The soldiers immediately hit the ground. Chips broke free from Rowell and launched himself right into the pillbox. Rowell later said, "Then there was an awful lot of noise and the firing stopped." The men heard someone inside the nest fire a pistol. Rowell said he then "saw one Italian soldier come out with Chips at his throat. I called him off before he could kill the man. Three others followed, holding their hands above their heads." Chips sustained minor injuries including a wound and powder burns from the bullet that grazed his scalp. Chips was treated, returned to duty that night and helped capture ten more Italians.

Within days the story of Chips' heroism swept through the division and the brave dog was awarded the Silver Star for valor and the Purple Heart for his wounds. The platoon's commander, Major General Lucian K. Truscott, put in a recommendation that Chips receive the Distinguished Service Cross for “courageous action in single-handedly eliminating a dangerous machine gun nest and causing surrender of its crew.” War Department regulations prohibited the awarding of decoration to animals, who were considered military equipment, but the commander's attitude was "regulations be damned". He waived them and on November 19 in Italy Truscott personally awarded Chips the Distinguished Service Cross.

In July 1944, newspapers published stories about Chips' heroism and the medals he received. The War Department got word of this and conducted an investigation. Three months later, Chips' medals were taken away. To honor Chips, his unit (the 3rd Infantry Division) unofficially awarded the brave dog a theater ribbon with an arrowhead for an assault landing, and battle stars for each of his eight campaigns.

Chips greeted by his owners upon his return to the US - Dec 1945

In the fall of 1945, Chips was given an honorable discharge and was taken back to Front Royal where he was retrained so he could return to the Wren family. When Mrs. Wren was asked about Chips' medals, she said she thought dogs ought to have medals, but she had a feeling Chips himself would have preferred a pound of hamburger.

Chips died a few months later at the age of six and was buried at the Hartsdale Canine Cemetery. In 1990, Disney made a TV movie based on his life entitled Chips, the War Dog.

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Two Bits: Survived Falling 600 Feet - Twice!

Two Bits became famous in history as a war hero on the home front in the US during WWII for not giving up his fun of chasing chipmunks despite his two falls over a cliff while doing so.

Two Bits inside the lookout building

During the winter of 1942-1943, Bill Ziegler with his dog Two Bits and another man worked for the Army Air Corps in the remote wilderness of Rogue River National Forest in Oregon. A 14 by 14 foot lookout facility sat on top of Whiskey Peak, 6,497 feet above ground, next to a near-vertical 600 foot drop to the valley below. The facility was a US Forest Service fire spotting point that the army took over during WWII as part of its Aircraft Warning Service. The two men were to observe the western skies for enemy aircraft until the new technology of radar could be installed in strategic places.

Whiskey Peak

Two Bits was a fox terrier who loved to chase the chipmunks that hung around begging for food. By February, the snow on the summit was abundant and ice had formed over the nearby cliff. One day Two Bits went running after the rodents with too much enthusiasm near the edge of the cliff. He skidded across the ice and fell over the ledge. Ziegler, who was a good distance away, saw his poor dog go over. The distraught man walked to the point where Two Bits fell, looked at the 600 foot drop and knew there was no way his beloved dog could have survived the plunge.

About a week later, Ziegler was on a nearby trail when he was amazed to see Two Bits climbing slowly up toward him with his head down and his tongue hanging out. The dog was tired but still managed to happily wag his tail. Apparently Two Bits had fallen into a deep snowdrift that cushioned his fall, was able to dig himself out and make the long trek back to his owner. After he got some food in his belly and much needed rest, the spunky dog went back to his normal routine.

You would think Two Bits learned his lesson, but a few weeks later he took the same plunge. Again, Zeigler assumed the worst, but to his amazement the determined dog made it back to the top of Whiskey Peak a few days later.

Once his duty was over, Zeigler and Two Bits returned to their Jacksonville home. The news of the dog surviving two falls over the cliff "without physical impairment or loss of morale" went national. The Medford Mail Tribune and even Life magazine hailed Two Bits as a war hero and canine symbol of Home Front "stolidity and determination."

Two Bits lived a good life and passed away a few years after the war ended.

Dzhulbars: Soviet Sniffer Dog

Dzhulbars, a Soviet war dog, became famous in history for detecting thousands of explosives during World War II.

Soviet mine detection dogs (also referred to as sniffer dogs) combed more than 9,000 square miles of land and discovered more than four million enemy charges and land mines during and after the Second World War. Unlike metal detectors, the dogs were able to sniff out bombs not only in metal casings but also in wooden casings, and they were able to find those at a depth of almost five feet. Dzhulbars was one of those sniffer dogs. He was said to have been gifted with an incredible sense of smell for detecting explosives. Between September 1944 to August 1945 he was credited for finding 7,468 mines and 150 shells, having saved many lives and many architectural masterpieces including castles and cathedrals in Kiev, Prague and Vienna.

On March 21, 1945 Dzhulbars was awarded the Soviet Medal for Battle Merit, the only Soviet dog to be awarded a full military decoration for his service in WWII. On June 24, 1945 Dzhulbars and other war dogs participated in the Moscow Victory Parade, the longest and largest military parade ever held on Red Square. Dzhulbars was recovering from injuries and unable to walk in the procession so it was ordered that the wounded dog be carried across Red Square cradled in Stalin's own military overcoat.

After the war, the big-name Dzhulbars starred in the Soviet movie adaptation of Jack London's White Fang.

Bamse: Norwegian Sea Dog

Bamse became famous in history as the mascot to the Norwegian ship Thorodd during the Second World War. He looked after his crew, saved two lives and was loved by all.

Bamse (pronounced Bump-sa, the Norwegian word for teddy bear) was a Saint Bernard belonging to Captain Erling Hafto. During WWII, before the fall of Norway, the Captain and his crew on the Thorodd were able to escape to the UK. The ship was stationed at Dundee and Montrose in Scotland and was used as a minesweeper.

The Captain took Bamse with him and made him an official member of the Royal Norwegian Navy - the ship's mascot. The crew took an immediate liking to him, and Bamse became a guardian to them. During action he would stand guard in the foremost gun tower, wearing a steel helmet, and would not leave his post until all was safe. During downtime he would go ashore and roam the area, wearing a sailor's collar and mariner's cap, becoming a favorite among the townspeople. The crew even bought Bamse a bus pass which he wore around his neck. He would often board the bus on his own and climb to the top deck where he was allowed to sit.

Bamse knew which pubs the crew frequented and when they had to be back on the ship. He would keep a watchful eye on his men. He made sure they returned to the ship before curfew and when a pub brawl involved one of his men he would place his front paws on the offender's shoulders, putting an immediate end to the fight. Sometimes Bamse would enjoy a pint of beer with the guys. On one reported occasion, the pub's cat was sitting on the bar where Bamse wanted to sit and the determined dog stood up and casually pushed the cat aside to make room for his bowl of beer.

Bamse was credited for saving the lives of two of his men. One was Lieutenant Commander Nilsen. While walking along the quayside, the Commander was attacked by a man with a knife. Bamse saw the attack, bounded up the quayside, and pushed the attacker into the water. The other was a crew member who was believed to have been drunk. The man fell overboard and Bamse was the only one to notice the fall. He alerted the men with his loud barking, jumped into the water, and struggled to keep the man afloat until both of them were safely pulled aboard.

The crew loved Bamse. When Captain Hafto was assigned to another post, they refused to return to the ship unless the Captain agreed to leave Bamse with them. Hafto finally gave in, with the understanding Bamse would be returned to him at the end of the war.

On July 22, 1944 Bamse died of a failed heart in Montrose. He was about seven years old. Bamse was buried with full military honors in the sand dunes on the banks of the South Esk River in Montrose. Norwegian sailors, allied servicemen and townspeople were present. Schools even closed for the day so hundreds of children could attend the funeral.

Evelyn Le Chene in her book Silent Heroes describes the effect of Bamse’s death:

"Grown men who had stoically endured a cruel war, separation from their families, grave losses and exile from their country cried openly. Grief was not confined to the Thorodd it was instantly echoed far and wide, in the naval depots, on visiting ships, buses and in all local schools. There could not have been a more loving bond between two peoples, the Norwegians and Scots, than that which Bamse had created".

Bamse was posthumously awarded the PDSA Gold Medal in 2006 for his exceptional acts of gallantry and devotion to duty, the only WWII animal to have received this honor. Captain Hafto's daughter Vigdis accepted the medal on behalf of Bamse. That same year a statue of Bamse was unveiled by Prince Andrew on Wharf Street in Montrose. Every 10 years the Norwegian Navy sends a ship to Scotland to hold a commemorative ceremony for Bamse.

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