Your Dog — November 2017

78 Your Dog November 2017 http://www.yourdog.co.uk

the dog

who defi ed

terror

Isabel George

recounts the story

of Rats, a stray dog

who stood beside

British soldiers

during the Troubles

in Northern Ireland.

H

e was a squat, scruffy and, by all

accounts, often smelly mongrel,

but to the British soldiers he chose

to serve alongside during the Troubles in

Northern Ireland, Rats was, and will

remain, a hero.

Rats is loved because he suffered as

the soldiers suffered at the hands of the

IRA (Irish Republican Army) in the 1970s:

he was blown up, shot at, and set on

fi re. He was wounded and scarred, but

remained steadfast, bold, and brave, and

was awarded a medal for his courage

under fi re. But what really bonded this

‘soldier dog’ with his soldier friends was

his loyalty and friendship during this

bleak and bloody period of British military

history. To the men, he was both warrior

and best mate.

Rats’ story begins in 1978, when

mention of a funny, fox-like dog began

to appear in British soldiers’ letters

home. Although many details of his past

are clouded by the passing of time, and

maybe wrapped in a little bit of legend

too, there’s no doubt he started life as one

of many strays begging and wandering the

streets of Crossmaglen, a market town in

South Armagh, Northern Ireland.

By the 1970s, Crossmaglen had become

a frontier town, its houses pitted with

bullet holes. Lying just a mile-and-a-half

from the border between Northern Ireland

and the Republic of Ireland, this was

the IRA’s valuable gateway to north and

south. To British soldiers, this was ‘bandit

country’, and the watchtowers of the

army base in Crossmaglen loomed over

a town that had become both home

and battleground.

A SURVIVOR AGAINST

THE ODDS

Rats was around six years old when he

attached himself to the men of 42 Royal

Marine Commando, who were almost at

the end of their six-month tour of duty.

The men warmed to the friendly

Corgi-cross, who bravely dashed around

the soldiers’ legs playing with their boot

laces. If he got their attention, he would

Rats

treat them to his repertoire of begging

tricks — and sometimes his tenacious

fi ghting skills if he happened to be

challenged by another dog. His funny,

eager-to-please antics became a welcome

distraction from the grim reality of

a posting to Crossmaglen.

The soldiers encouraged the dog to

stay around. Then, one day, he just

followed the patrol back to the barracks.

He had found a home.

The army base was safe and like no

other place Rats had known. He soon

learned how to sleep on a bed and wee

on the fl oor in the offi cers’ quarters. Dirty,

Rats travelled by

helicopter between

military bases.

Isabel George is

a ‘Sunday Times’

best-selling author,

journalist, and PRO,

who has worked

with animal charities,

particularly PDSA,

for many years.

She has previously

written for children,

and has also worked

with the Imperial

War Museum on

various events

and exhibitions

connected with the

animals at war theme.

ABOUT ISABEL

Image: Roger Bamber/Alamy Stock Photo.

Image: Keystone Pictures USA/Alamy Stock Photo.

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