Dogs were everywhere during the war. They provided comfort and protection for generals as well as the lowly foot soldiers. Some dogs were recruited in the war effort. Families donated their dogs to the services to be trained as guard dogs. Most however were found as strays wandering the battlefields looking for food and a new master. Their previous owners had either been forced to flee their homes or had been killed in the bombing. Soldiers adopted them and kept them as company mascots. Dogs played an important role in boosting moral in a world that had gone to hell and full of so much death and destruction. Looking into the dogs eyes, and caressing his furry back brought a sense of warmth and caring to soldiers as they faced the most terrifying moments of their lives.
Please see the photos below:
US troops with their dog - liberating a another town
An antiaircraft unit with their mascot in North Africa (National Archives)
US soldier in Battle of Bulge with his dog (National Archives)
General Gerhardt - 29th Division Commander and his Dog - "D-Day" or just "Dee". Gerhardt found Dee near the beach on the first day of the Allied invasion in Normandy, France. It was a tough day for the 29th Division, many men were killed as they fought their way onto what was known later as "Bloody Omaha" beach. Amongst the chaos and destruction Gerhardt came across Dee wandering around, confused and looking for food. Gerardt immediately adopted him as his own and whenever the 29th soldiers saw "Dee" the knew the General was not far behind. When the war came to an end the General had to leave him in England because he had to fly back to the States. His soldiers found out that "Dee" had been left behind so they smuggled him onto the troop ship in a canvas bag (dogs were not allowed on the ships but many were smuggled on board). The General was at the dock in New York when the troop ship arrived and the soldiers surprised the General with "Dee" to his great delight. Dee lived out the rest of his days running in the countryside near the Gerhardt's home and fathering many young pups that carried on his legacy.
British General Montgomery and his dogs "Rommel" & "Hitler" and his canary cage that he took along with him into battle.
US General Eisenhower and his dog "Telek" - which was rumored to be his mistresses dog.
US General Patton and his dog "Willie" the dog went everywhere with Patton. When troops saw the dog riding along side him in his jeep they saluted him !
A photo of Willie taken after Patton had died from injuries in car accident in post war Europe. Patton's personal items and official papers were being packed up to be sent back to the US when they found Willie resting next to his masters trunks, waiting perhaps for the General to return.
Even Hitler had a dog. When Hitler was soldier in the First World War trenches he adopted a Jack Russel terrier that had run from the French and British front lines.
He named him "Fuchsl" and spent much of his spare time playing and training the dog. When Fuchsl went missing (apparently stolen after he refused to sell it) Hitler was devastated and said “I was desperate, the swine who stole my dog doesn’t know what he did to me.” The war trauma that Hitler suffered during WW1 left a scar on his psyche that the world would eventually come to know about too well. The photo above is Hitler with his German Shepard "Blondie". In the final days in his Berlin bunker he had the dog poisoned so that the Russian troops would not find him. When Blondie was killed those in the bunker were more upset by his demise than by the death of Hitler's mistress Eva Braun.
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/heel-hitler
A Silver Star was awarded to "Chips" for attacking the enemy in Italy. The award was rescinded because he was a dog. Chips did get to meet General Eisenhower - and nearly bit his hand when he came to pet him.
German Prisoners of War in Normandy await transfer
to a internment camp - along with their faithful dog.
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