Animals in war

Millions of people know the stories of A.A. Milne, but few are aware that a real bear inspired them. A young vet who buys Winnipeg on his way to the first World War has to deposit her in the London zoo for the duration, promising to return and collect her when the war is over. She becomes the star of the zoo and ultimately inspires the stories of Winnie-the-Pooh. Milne and his son Christopher met the real Winnie in 1926.

The veterinarian and commanding officer of the WWII 3rd War Dog Platoon pays tribute to the four-legged soldiers who served in Guam as messengers and scouts and details his efforts to see them safely decommissioned and returned home.

Here are twenty-one fascinating stories about the forgotten heroes of war: animals who have served beside Australian forces. These are all animals that dazzle with their courage and loyalty or sometimes just by being lovable. Whether it's a rooster guarding his battalion during the First World War or a mine-detecting dolphin in present-day Iraq, they make the difficult lives of soldiers so much more bearable.

Jilly Cooper has written a tribute to the role of animals in wartime. From the pigeons carrying vital messages to and from the beleaguered city during the Seige of Paris to dogs sniffing out mines for the British invasion force in World War II, this is a vivid record of man's inhumanity to animals, and an astonishing story of courage.

When the New Zealand Rifle Brigade marched down Queen Street to board their transport ship to Egypt and the Western Front in World War I, they were led by their official mascot, a bulldog called Caesar. Trained as a Red Cross dog, Caesar rescued wounded soldiers at the Battle of the Somme.

Dogs at War is a fascinating collection of real-life tales of canines during combat. In military conflicts around the world, these unsung heroes have proved themselves time and again, and many have won decorations for their acts of bravery. From dragging wounded soldiers to safety, to detecting a trip wire as thin as a hair and tracking the enemy back to his hideout, these dogs have played a critical role in military conflict and ultimately saved lives. The heroes in this volume include the 'kamikaze' attack dogs used by Russia's Red Army to destroy the invading Germans' tanks; a parachuting dog who made more jumps during World War II than any man; and the American war dogs that saved as many as 10,000 lives during the Vietnam War, yet were abandoned in Vietnam when the Americans withdrew. Dogs at War is an account of canine bravey, loyalty and intelligence that is certain to appeal to all true dog lovers as well as military history enthusiasts.

This biography tells of the life of a Czech airman who escapes from the Nazi invasion, fights with the French and finally arrives in Britain to fly as an air-gunner with the RAF during World War II. He was inseparable from his Alsatian dog, an animal that became famous and was awarded a dog equivalent to the VC.

When Marines enter an abandoned house in Fallujah, Iraq, and hear a suspicious noise, they clench their weapons, edge around the corner, and prepare to open fire. What they find during the U.S -led attack on the "most dangerous city on Earth, however, is not an insurgent bent on revenge, but a tiny puppy left behind when most of the city u2019 s population fled before the bombing. Despite military law that forbids the keeping of pets, the Marines de-flea the pup with kerosene, de-worm him with chewing tobacco, and fill him up on Meals Ready to Eat. Thus begins the dramatic rescue attempt of a dog named Lava and Lava u2019 s rescue of at least one Marine, Lieutenant Colonel Jay Kopelman, from the emotional ravages of war. From hardened Marines to war-time journalists to endangered Iraqi citizens, From Baghdad, With Love tells an unforgettable true story of an unlikely band of heroes who learn unexpected lessons about life, death, and war from a mangy little flea-ridden refugee.

Nubs, an Iraqi dog of war, never had a home or a person of his own. He was the leader of a pack of wild dogs living off the land and barely surviving. But Nubs's life changed when he met Marine Major Brian Dennis. The two formed a fast friendship, made stronger by Dennis's willingness to share his meals, offer a warm place to sleep, and give Nubs the kind of care and attention he had never received before. Nubs became part of Dennis's human "pack" until duty required the Marines to relocate a full 70 miles away--without him. Nubs had no way of knowing that Marines were not allowed to have pets. So began an incredible journey that would take Nubs through a freezing desert, filled with danger to find his friend and would lead Dennis on a mission that would touch the hearts of people all over the world. Nubs and Dennis will remind readers that friendship has the power to cross deserts, continents, and even species

Certain that he is doing the right thing by donating his dog, Wolfie, to the Army's scout program in Vietnam, thirteen-year-old Mark begins to have second thoughts when the Army refuses to say when and if Wolfie will ever return.

The remarkable true story of how one man saved the stray dogs of Afghanistan. In a remote outpost of Now Zad, in Helmand Province, Pen Farthing and his troupe of young Royal Marines survive frequent engagements with the Taliban and forge links with the local community. Appalled by the horrors of local dog fighting, he intervenes to free three victims. One of these dogs finds his way into the Marine compound and into Pen's heart. Soon other strays are being drawn to the sanctuary provided by Pen's makeshift pound, including one young mum who crawls under the compound fence carrying her newborn pups to safety. But as his tour of duty draws to an end, Pen cannot leave the dogs of Now Zad to their own fates. He begins hatching plans to help them escape to a better life. It is the story of one man's courage and humanity and his fight to make a difference in the most hostile and dangerous environment…

Set against the backdrop of the war in Afghanistan, SAVING CINNAMON chronicles the love story of Navy Reservist Mark Feffer and a stray puppy he bonded with while stationed outside of Kandahar. When Mark is about to return stateside, he decides to adopt Cinnamon and sets up her transport back to the U.S.