by Robyn Walker
Commander Peter MacRitchie of the Prince Robert meeting with liber–ated Canadian POWs at Sham Shui Po Camp, September 1945.
destined to spend the rest of the war living in horrific conditions in Japanese prisoner of war camps. Those who survived the camps returned home to Canada when the Japanese surrendered in 1945, and they never forgot their heroic canine comrade who had made the ultimate sacrifice during the Battle of Hong Kong. Sergeant George MacDonell states, emphatically, “No two-legged soldier did his duty any better and none died more heroically than Sergeant Gander.”26
The prisoners were liberated in August 1945, when the Japanese surrendered to the Allied forces. At the end of August the transport ships that would carry the surviving Canadians back home to Canada arrived. Ironically, one of these ships was the Prince Robert, which had transported many of the Royal Rifles to Hong Kong back in 1941. The number of Canadians who returned home was markedly fewer than had made the journey to Hong Kong. In addition to all of the men lost in the battle, 128 died in the Hong Kong POW camps, 136 died in work camps in Japan, and four men were executed after an escape attempt. In total, 557 of the original Canadian contingent did not return home.29
6: Gander Gets His Medal
The Canadian soldiers who returned to Canada formed the Hong Kong Veterans’ Association (HKVA) in 1948, in response to a wide variety of complaints that the veterans had experienced since returning home. Many had returned from Hong Kong with a range of medical ailments resulting from their captivity, and they felt that existing government benefits and compensation were inadequate to address their needs. They also wanted compensation for their years of forced labour in Japan’s work camps. In 1965, they ratified their association’s constitution, which listed the aims of the HKVA as:
To assist all members in times of need,
To maintain and improve social welfare and friendship among
members and their dependents”
To promote legislation for the physical well being of all members
of “C” force or Allied personnel who were imprisoned by Japan
1941–1945.1
As a result of the HKVA’s determined advocacy, significant gains were made in terms of compensating the veterans and their families, for their service in Hong Kong.
As health concerns and advancing age began to impact the HKVA’s ability to fulfill their association’s agenda, a proposal was made in 1993 to create a new association, made up of the sons and daughters of “C” Force veterans. In 1995, the new association was given the name the Hong Kong Veterans’ Commemorative Association (HKVCA). Their mission is describd as “to educate all Canadians on the role of Canada’s soldiers in the Battle of Hong Kong and on the effects of the internment of the battle’s survivors on both the soldiers and their families. We
Sergeant Major John Osborn
John Robert Osborn was born in England in 1899 and saw action in the First World War as a seaman in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. After the war he immigrated to Canada, where he farmed and worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway. He married and had five children. In 1933, he joined the Winnipeg Grenadiers and was called to active duty six years later, in September 1939. Sergeant Major John Osborn was the first Canadian to receive the Victoria Cross in the Second World War, and his was the only Victoria Cross awarded for the Battle of Hong Kong. It is on display at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. He was forty-two years old when he died and has no known grave, but his name can be seen on the Hong Kong Memorial at the entrance to the Botanic Gardens in Victoria, Hong Kong.
Company Sergeant Major Osborn, Winnipeg Grenadiers, Jamaica, 1940/41.
Sergeant Major John Osborn’s Citation
At Hong Kong, on the morning of the 19th of December 1941, a company of the Winnipeg Grenadiers to which Company Sergeant-Major Osborn belonged, became divided during an attack on Mount Butler, a hill rising steeply above sea level. A part of the company led by Company Sergeant-Major Osborn captured the hill at the point of the bayonet and held it for three hours when, owing to the superior numbers of the enemy and to fire from an unprotected flank, the position became untenable. Company Sergeant-Major Osborn and a small group covered the withdrawal, and when their turn came to fall back, Osborn, single-handed, engaged the enemy while the remainder successfully joined the company. Company Sergeant-Major Osborn had to run the gauntlet of heavy rifle and machine-gun fire. With no consideration for his own safety, he assisted and directed stragglers to the new company position, exposing himself to heavy enemy fire to cover their retirement. Wherever danger threatened he was there to encourage his men.
During the afternoon the company was cut off from the battalion and completely surrounded by the enemy, who were able to approach to within grenade throwing distance of the slight depression which the company was holding. Several enemy grenades were thrown, which Sergeant-Major Osborn picked up and threw back. The enemy threw a grenade, which landed in a position where it was impossible to pick it up and return it in time. Shouting a warning to his comrades this gallant Warrant Officer threw himself on the grenade, which exploded, killing him instantly. His self-sacrifice undoubtedly saved the lives of many others.
Company Sergeant-Major Osborn was an inspiring example to all throughout the defence which he assisted so magnificently in maintaining against an overwhelming enemy force for over eight and a half hours, and in his death he displayed the highest quality of heroism and self-sacrifice.
also assist in the support and welfare of Hong Kong veterans and their widows.”2 In 2001, the administration and finances of the two groups were merged. The HKVA still participates in its own in commemorative programs with Veterans’ Affairs Canada, and also plays an active role in the HKVCA by educating Canadians about the Battle of Hong Kong.
The men of the Royal Rifles of Canada always felt that Gander deserved recognition for his selfless act. In 1995, Jeremy Swanson, then commemorations officer at the Canadian War Museum, heard the story of Gander from some of the veterans. The veterans had come together for a special meeting of the HKVA where they all received their Hong Kong clasps, an award introduced by the Canadian government in July 1995 to recognize the contributions made by the Canadian soldiers at the Battle of Hong Kong. They were reminiscing about the story of Sergeant Major J.R. Osborn, the Canadian soldier who had been awarded the Victoria Cross for his heroism at the Battle of Hong Kong. Osborn had saved the lives of several men in his company by throwing himself on top of a Japanese grenade.
As they chatted about the Sergeant Major’s heroism one of the veterans made the comment, “Just like that damned dog.” Swanson’s interest was piqued and he quizzed the veterans for more information. From what Swanson could glean, Gander, the canine mascot of the Royal Rifles of Canada, had performed an act of heroism that was strikingly similar to that of Sergeant Major Osborn’s. Fascinated by Gander’s story, Swanson and a small group of volunteers, including Howard Stutt of McGill University, began researching the tale to verify its truthfulness and to separate fact from fiction. After researching Gander’s story extensively, Swanson
Jeremy Swanson
Jeremy Swanson was the commemorations and operations officer to Programs and Collections at the Canadian War Museum (CWM) from 1992–2002. An emigrant from South Africa, Swanson has played a vital and active role in helping to research and preserve Canadian military history. During his tenure with the CWM, Swanson conducted research and historical overviews of numerous CWM exhibitions and literary projects, including “Canada’s Armed Forces 1945–50” and “Canada in Korea,” as well as planning and leading a successful search for families of the twenty-six Canadian airmen killed over Poland during the Second World War.
Swanson helped spearhead the campaign for Sergeant Gander’s PDSA Dickin Medal, committing hundreds of hours to research, and was responsible for organizing the PDSA Dickin Medal ceremony that was held at the British High Commission in Ottawa in October 2000. Currently, Swanson is working as a men’s rights
activist in Ottawa.
unearthed numerous military and eyewitness accounts of Gander’s heroism. Swanson felt strongly that Gander was deserving of a posthumous award for bravery.
The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) is a veterinary charity in the United Kingdom that was founded in 1917 by Maria Dickin. Born in London in 1870, Dickin (Mia to her friends) was the daughter of a minister and the eldest of eight children. At twenty-eight years of age she married her wealthy cousin, Arnold Dickin, and gave up her job — she owned a successful voice production studio — to look after her new household and assume the role of society wife. Horrified by the plight of the animals in London’s poverty-stricken East End, Dickin explained that “the suffering and misery of these poor uncared for creatures was a revelation to me. I had no idea it existed and it made me indescribably miserable.”3
She decided to make the provision of veterinary care for the poor her social cause, and on November 17, 1917, she opened her first dispensary. A notice advertising the opening read simply: “Bring your sick animals. Do not let them
Victoria Cross
Introduced by Queen Victoria in 1856, to reward acts of valour during the Crimean War (1853–56), the Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest award for valour “in the face of the enemy” in the United Kingdom, some Commonwealth countries, and former British Empire territories. It may be awarded to any enlisted personnel (any rank) or civilians under military command. The VC is awarded for, “most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy.” The medal is extremely rare, having been awarded only 1,356 times to 1,353 recipients since its inception.6It is a bronze cross with a Crown and Lion superimposed and the words, “For Valour.” Ninety-four Canadians have been awarded the British Victoria Cross, none since 1945. Since Newfoundland was not part of Canada prior to 1945, Victoria Cross recipients from Newfoundland are identified separately. In 1993, it was decided that Canadians would no longer be eligible for the British Victoria Cross — it was replaced by a Canadian Victoria Cross and has yet to be awarded.
Fred Kelly with Rimshot.
suffer. All animals treated. All treatment free.”4 The response was overwhelming, and soon Dickin began opening more dispensaries. By 1935, she had established five PDSA hospitals, seventy-one dispensaries, and eleven mobile dispensaries, eventually expanding her philanthropic endeavours to Greece, Egypt, South Africa, and Palestine. Although Dickin died in 1951, at the age of eighty-one, her legacy to the care of animals continues as the PDSA is still going strong today.
Gander’s medal cer–emony. Jeremy Swanson (far left), Fred Kelly (holding leash), Rimshot (front), and Eileen Elms (nee Chafe, the little girl from the sled photo–graph).
Maria Dickin established the PDSA Dickin Medal in 1943 to recognize “any animal displaying conspicuous gallantry or devotion to duty whilst serving with the British Commonwealth armed forces or civil emergency services.”5 The bronze medallion bears the words, “For Gallantry” and “We Also Serve” and is considered the animals’ Victoria Cross. Since its inception it has been awarded sixty-two times (as of 2008). With the documentation provided by Jeremy Swanson, the Hong Kong Veterans’ Association forwarded an application to the PDSA requesting that Gander be considered for the PDSA Dickin Medal.
The PDSA was stunned to receive the medal request, as no such request had been submitted in over fifty years. After reviewing the extensive documentation accompanying the application for Gander’s medal the PDSA quickly approved awarding the medal to Gander. Then PDSA Director General Marilyn Rydstrom stated, “We were surprised to receive the Association’s request and comprehensive support documentation — the first in over fifty years to be submitted to the PDSA. Gander’s story exemplifies the heroism displayed by many animals who served alongside British and Commonwealth forces during the Second World War. In some cases they performed outstanding acts, as did Gander, while others played equally significant roles by boosting morale among prisoners of war, carrying vital messages, and detecting humans and animals buried under bomb damaged buildings. We are delighted to add Gander’s name to this illustrious list.”7
On October 27, 2000, an award ceremony was held at the British High Commission in Ottawa. Members of the PDSA, the Hong Kong Veterans’ Association, and the Royal Rifles of Canada, as well as many other invited guests, were on hand as Gander’s old handler, Fred Kelly, accepted Gander’s medal from PDSA Chairman Sir Roland Guy. Kelly, gently patting Rimshot, the Newfoundland dog that had been brought in to represent Gander, stated, “It’s an honour just to be able to put my hand on this dog.”8 Then, with his emotions taking over, Kelly declared, “I only wish that Gander had lived so that I could have taken him home. This is the happiest day of my life.”9
Jeremy Swanson, who spent over five years researching and documenting Gander’s story, was equally pleased, stating, “I feel absolutely overjoyed seeing the joy in the faces of those veterans. For me, it marks the successful end of a project that created a new Canadian hero.”10
Gander’s Citation
For saving the lives of Canadian Infantrymen during the Battle of Lye Mun on Hong Kong Island in December 1941. On three documented occasions “Gander”the Newfoundland mascot of the Royal Rifles of Canada engaged the enemy as his regiment joined the Winnipeg Grenadiers, members of Battalion Headquarters “C” Force and other Commonwealth troops in their courageous defence of the
Pen and ink sketch of Gander.
Island. Twice “Gander’s” attacks halted the enemy’s advance and protected groups of wounded soldiers. In a final act of bravery the war dog was killed in action gathering a grenade. Without “Gander’s” intervention many more lives would have been lost in the assault.
The medal was given to the Canadian War Museum for its exhibit on the Defence of Hong Kong. Sadly, the PDSA’s hope that the exhibition of Gander’s medal would remind generations to come of Canada’s courageous canine has not been realized.
The medal was exhibited for a time, but has since been removed. At present, Gander’s story is no longer part of the Hong Kong exhibit at the War Museum, and his PDSA Dickin Medal is kept in a secure vault in the basement of the Museum.
7: Animals at War
The history of military conflict abounds with stories and descriptions of how animals served alongside human combatants. Whether as a much loved mascot providing moral support or a link to home, or as a working animal trained to carry messages, sniff out bombs, or charge into battle with a soldier perched upon its back, animals have been as much a part of military history as the battles themselves. The contributions of these creatures, who never had a choice about whether or not they wanted to “go off to war,” have been recognized by many of the nations for which they served.
In the Canadian capital of Ottawa, the stone wall at the entrance to the Memorial Chamber in the Parliament buildings has carvings depicting animals and the words, “The Humble Beasts that Served and Died.” In Lille, France, a statue of a woman with a pigeon sitting in her hands stands as a memorial to all of the carrier pigeons who transported messages during the wars. Great Britain has perhaps the most impressive memorial, The Animals in War Memorial, which was unveiled in 2004 and is located in Hyde Park. The inscription reads, “Animals in War. This monument is dedicated to all the animals that served and died alongside British and allied forces in wars and campaigns throughout time. They had no choice.”
As workers, animals have served a multitude of purposes throughout the history of war. Dogs have routinely been used to search for both mines and injured people, and more recently dolphins and sea lions are being trained to search for underwater mines. Mules, camels, elephants, and oxen have traditionally been used for the transport of supplies, while horses have carried both men and supplies into battle. Over eight million horses were killed during the First World War alone. Pigeons were used extensively to carry messages during both World Wars, and in the Sec
ond World War over 200,000 were used, with only one in eight ever returning home.1 Even glow-worms have served, providing light in the trenches during the First World War so that the soldiers could read.
British soldiers in line to register their mascots as members of the Allied Forces Mascot Club.
During the First World War one of the most famous working animals was Murphy, the donkey. In 1915, he was shipped to Turkey, where Australian and New Zealand troops were fighting Turkish and German forces at Gallipoli. Along with the other donkeys, Murphy carried supplies up and down the hills adjacent to the beach. One day, an Australian soldier named John Simpson Kirkpatrick (more commonly known as Simpson) saw Murphy carrying his load of supplies
and came up with another idea for the donkey’s use. He threw a blanket over Murphy’s back to act as a saddle and rode the little donkey through the hills searching for injured soldiers. Simpson would put the injured men on Murphy’s back, and Murphy would carry them down to the medical unit. The idea worked well and each day Simpson and Murphy would set off in search of wounded, scouring the hills from dawn until dusk, always under threat of enemy fire. Their hard work resulted in the rescue of over 300 wounded men. On May 19, 1915,
Polish sailors and their ships’ cats, 1940.
Convoy the ship’s cat of HMS Hermione, November 26, 1941.
while on one of their patrols, Simpson and Murphy came under heavy enemy fire, just after they placed a wounded man on the donkey’s back. Simpson was killed. Legend has it that Murphy continued back to the army hospital with the injured man on his back and then led rescuers back to Simpson’s body. Other sources claim that Murphy was killed in the initial gunfire barrage. Whatever the case, the Australians thought enough of the pair’s contributions to erect a statue of Simpson and Murphy outside the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
