Animal Life in No Man’s Land

Tuesday 26th October 1915: Cats and dogs are not habitual friends. Nevertheless, a curious incident was observed by a sentry in the 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment yesterday. Captain Meautys, the adjutant, related to us, with some amusement that a canine and a feline were observed to leave the German front line. They walked amiably through No Man’s Land to a shattered wood and disappeared. Had they been rats one might have thought they were leaving a sinking ship, but one can hope.

Source: X550/8/1

The Engineers in Gallipoli

Scenery near Suvla Bay 

Tuesday 21st September 1915: A sapper in the 2nd/1st Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers gave us some details of his work. It is evident that both field companies are together as he mentions a friend in the 1st/2nd Field Company being a dug-out some yards away(1).

He says “At last we have got some mail from home. Our dog, Punch, is out here with us, but we have nearly lost him once or twice. We are getting plenty of hard graft. We are now working a little way behind the line making roads, chiefly at night. The Bedfords out here have suffered very heavily. They have only five officers and about half the rank and file left”.

“We have a fair number of casualties in our Company and the No. 3 Section has come off worst. But I trust in God and have confidence in Him. The flies out here are a real pest  and when the jam comes out it is a sure case of eating a few flies”.

“While we were working on a road with the 5th Essex(2) yesterday, a Taube(3) came over and spotted us and we soon got the shrapnel(4). The Essex had one killed and two wounded and we got two wounded”.

“The Australasians are a fine set of chaps and when we meet one, we are always sure of a smoke. When we first landed in Suvla Bay, we went on to the left flank but now we are more in the centre. I have had about four washes and shaves since landing. The weather here is not so bad now as it has been but still it is pretty hot enough in the day time and quite cold at nights”.

Source: Bedfordshire Times 24th September 1915

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(1) 2/1st Field Company (later numbered 486th Field Company) and 1st/2nd Field Company (later numbered 484th Field Company) both served in 54th (East Anglian Division) along with 1st/5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.

(2) 1st/5th Battalion, Essex Regiment of 161st (Essex) Brigade, 54th Division.

(3) A German scout aircraft with bird shaped wings, the name, ironically, means “Dove”.

(4) From artillery, the aircraft having reported their position to the guns.

Dogs at the Front

Thursday 18th February 1915: Private Harold Chamberlain of 2nd Bedfords has spoken to us about a pathetic sight: "We saw a rather remarkable sight near where we were stationed. There was a very large house which had been ruined, and in the back yard were two dogs - a large black collie and the other a terrier. On their faces one could see that they fully understood the situation, and nothing would induce them to give up their guard of the ruined house. Of course we fed them when we had anything to spare. The dogs were evidently waiting for their master to return, but probably their wait will be in vain".

Source: Bedfordshire Standard 12th March 1915