THE RECENT POSTHUMOUS AWARD OF A PDSA DICKIN MEDAL TO ‘CHIPS’, A US ARMY DOG WHO SERVED DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR, HAS HIGHLIGHTED THE GALLANTRY MEDAL AWARDED TO ANIMALS AT WAR. GAIL RAMSEY RECOUNTS THE FASCINATING STORY OF THE MEDAL.
SECOND WORLD WAR
ANIMALS AT WAR
It all started in London’s East End. During the 19th century the area was seen by many as the focus of some of the worst social problems of the time, and authors such as Charles Dickens drew attention to the great divide between rich and poor and pricked the conscience of Victorian society. Individuals, churches and charities were so overwhelmed by the scale of the problem that many philanthropists chose to live and work in the East End. It was here that William Booth — the Billy Graham of the period — founded the Salvation Army; Frederick Charrington erected the Great Assembly Hall which became the centre of Christian work in the whole of East London, and the Reverend Samuel Barnett set up Toynbee Hall. Better known was Dr Thomas Barnardo whose name is synonymous with homes for orphaned children, and then there was Maria Dickin who was moved to open her People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals — the PDSA.
Maria was born into a middle-class L…
