Free Sergeant Gander by Robyn Walker Page B

in landings during North African Campaign with an Infantry unit and later served with a Special Air Unit in Italy as patrol and guard on small detachments lying-up

    Rip, saving a young boy from a bombed-out building in Lon–don, England.
    in enemy territory. His presence with these parties saved many of them from discovery and subsequent capture or destruction. Rob made over 20 parachute descents.”
    Thorn — Alsatian
MAP Serving with Civil Defence
Date of Award: March 2, 1945
    â€œFor locating air-raid casualties in spite of thick smoke in a burning building.”
    Rifleman Khan — Alsatian
147 6th Battalion Cameronians (SR)
Date of Award: March 27, 1945
    â€œFor rescuing L/Cpl. Muldoon from drowning under heavy shell fire at the assault of Walcheren, November 1944, while serving with the 6th Cameronians (SR).”
    Rex — Alsatian
MAP Civil Defence Rescue Dog
Date of Award: April 1945
    â€œFor outstanding good work in the location of casualties in burning buildings. Undaunted by smoldering debris, thick smoke, intense heat and jets of water from fire hoses, this dog displayed uncanny intelligence and outstanding determination in his efforts to follow up any scent which led him to a trapped casualty.”
    Sheila — Collie
Date of Award: July 2, 1945
    â€œFor assisting in the rescue of four American Airmen lost on the Cheviots in a blizzard after an air crash in December, 1944.”
    Rip — Mongrel
Stray picked up by Civil Defence Squad at Poplar, London E14
Date of Award: 1945
    â€œFor locating many air-raid victims during the blitz of 1940.”
    Peter — Collie
Date of Award: November 1945
    â€œFor locating victims trapped under blitzed buildings while serving with the MAP attached to Civil Defence of London.”
    Judy — Pedigree Pointer
Date of Award: May 1946
    â€œFor magnificent courage and endurance in Japanese prison camps, which helped to maintain morale among her fellow prisoners and also for saving many lives through her intelligence and watchfulness.”
    Punch and Judy — Boxer dog and bitch
Date of Awards: November 1946
    â€œThese dogs saved the lives of two British Officers in Israel by attacking an armed terrorist who was stealing upon them unawares and thus warning them of their danger. Punch
    Peter with King George and Queen Elizabeth.

    sustained 4 bullet wounds and Judy a long graze down her back.”

    Punch, a boxer dog.
    Ricky — Welsh Collie
Date of Award: March 29, 1947
    â€œThis dog was engaged in cleaning the verges of the canal bank at Nederweent, Holland. He found all the mines but during the operation one of them exploded. Ricky was wounded in the head but remained calm and kept at work. Had he become excited he would have been a danger to the rest of the section working nearby.”
    Brian — Alsatian
Date of Award: March 29, 1947
    â€œThis patrol dog was attached to a Parachute Battalion of the 13th Battalion Airborne Division. He landed in Normandy with them and, having done the requisite number of jumps, became a fully-qualified Paratrooper.”
    Antis — Alsatian
Date of Award: January 28, 1949
    â€œOwned by a Czech airman, this dog served with him in the French Air Force and RAF from 1940 to 1945, both in N. Africa and England. Returning to Czechoslovakia after the war, he substantially helped his master’s escape across the frontier when after the death of Jan Masaryk, he had to fly from the Communists.”

    Ricky’s grave.
Ricky was a little Welsh col–lie used in a mine-sweeping operation on a canal bank in Nederweent, Holland. He found all the mines, but was injured when one exploded.
Ricky kept work–ing despite his wounds.
    Tich — Egyptian Mongrel
1st Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps
Date of Award: July 1, 1949
    â€œFor loyalty, courage and devotion to duty under hazardous conditions of war 1941 to 1945, while serving with the 1st King’s Rifle Corps in North