Hero Dogs Honored

[TribalRats]

Two canine heroes, Army Veterinary Corps (RAVC) arms and explosives search dog, Sadie, and Royal Air Force (RAF) Police tracker dog, Lucky, were honoured this week by leading veterinary charity PDSA for their wartime heroism.

PDSA Patron, HRH Princess Alexandra, presented the PDSA Dickin Medal, the Animals’ Victoria Cross, at a special ceremony held at the Imperial War Museum in London. RAVC arms and explosives search dog, Sadie, a Black Labrador, received the Medal, recognised worldwide as the Animals’ Victoria Cross, for her gallant exploits in Afghanistan. RAF Police tracker dog, Lucky, a German Shepherd, received his Medal posthumously on behalf of four RAF tracker dogs that tirelessly worked in the Malayan jungle between 1949 and 1952.

The PDSA Dickin Medal is the highest award any animal can receive in recognition of conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty whilst serving in military conflict.

RAF war veteran Corporal Bevel Austin Stapleton (79), Lucky’s handler and partner during the Malaya Campaign, proudly accepted the PDSA Dickin Medal on behalf of his faithful canine companion.

Throughout their three years of jungle conflict, Lucky and his canine colleagues; Bobbie, Jasper and Lassie, were instrumental in the capture of many of terrorists. The determination and jungle tracking skills of the four dogs saved many civilian and allied lives.

“Every minute of every day in the jungle we trusted our lives to those four dogs, and they never let us down,” said Corporal Stapleton, from Nottingham. “Lucky was the only one of the team to survive our time in the Malayan jungle and I’m so proud of the old dog today. I owe my life to him.”

RAVC search dog Sadie, was accompanied at the ceremony by her handler, Lance Corporal Karen Yardley from Irvine in Scotland. The pair have worked together for two years and completed two tours of duty in Afghanistan. In November 2005, Sadie located a booby-trap bomb concealed in a pressure cooker.

The bomb was concealed behind a two-foot thick concrete blast wall within the United Nations compound in Kabul, Afghanistan. It was packed full with high explosives and attached to a remote-control detonation device. Sadie’s discovery saved possibly hundreds of soldiers and civilians from death and serious injury.

“Sadie is a very special dog,” said Lance Corporal Yardley. “I feel safe when she is by my side and I know she has saved my life many times over. She will always be my hero.”

Speaking at the ceremony, PDSA Chairman Freddie Bircher said, “PDSA is proud to honour these two heroic dogs with the PDSA Dickin Medal, the animals’ Victoria Cross, for their gallantry and devotion to duty in saving countless human lives. And to do this in the year our charity celebrates its 90th anniversary is very special indeed.”

Sadie and Lucky bring the total number of PDSA Dickin Medals presented to animals for their wartime heroism to 62. Since the introduction of the award by PDSA founder, Maria Dickin CBE, in 1943 it has now been awarded to 26 dogs, 32 pigeons, three horses and one cat.