For Fact's Sake: Going to the dogs

Going to the dogs

By Murray Stewart (murray.stewart49@gmail.com)

It was 1918. The horror of the First World War was thankfully in its final stages, and round-ups, clear-outs and clean-ups were underway throughout Europe. During these mop-ups, soldiers in the Allied Forces would often nick the odd souvenir to take home to the family – like an enemy helmet, empty shell-casings, or maybe a street sign.

Corporal Lee Duncan’s battalion was in Lorraine, France, doing exactly that when they came across a bombed-out dog kennel. Inside they found a starving German Shepherd dog which had recently given birth to five pups. Members of the battalion immediately adopted the family and Duncan chose two – a male, and a female who sadly snuffed it on the way back to the USA.

Perhaps even some of our younger readers may recall the name of the surviving dog, which became a sensation nearly a century ago. Although many of us have never seen any of his movies, we know him as a canine super-hero, and the brave saviour of those in peril. His name was Rin Tin Tin.

Click on the newspaper below to read more (see page 6).