TRUE STORY OF “GANDER” THE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG AND MASCOT OF THE ROYAL RIFLES OF CANADA AND HIS BRAVERY DURING WW2

By Tanya M. Petrokov

From The Lanark Animal Welfare Society (LAWS):

In honour of Remembrance Day, I thought it fitting to do an article about the contribution animals made to the war effort. Frequent readers to this column may recall a previous article on “Simon the Cat” and his bravery aboard a British Naval Ship during the Yangtze incident . This is the true story of Gander the Newfoundland dog, another brave animal, and his service during WW2.

During WWI, an animal lover and philanthropist by the name of Maria Dickin was moved to action over the dreadful state of animal welfare in London, England. On November 17, 1917 she established what came to be known as the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (P.D.S.A.). This organization offered free medical treatment to sick and injured animals. In 1943, Ms. Dickin instituted the Dickin medal which quickly became known as the “animal’s Victoria Cross.” It was an award for “displaying conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty while serving with the Armed Forces during WW2 and later.” Ms. Dickin understood the important role that animals were making in the war effort. Dogs were being used to locate trapped survivors and pigeons were used to dispatch messages. In addition, animals helped the morale of a country devastated by war. Between 1943 and 1949, fifty-four Dickin medals were awarded; including 32 pigeons, 18 dogs, 3 horses and 1 cat.

This is the true story of “Gander”, a Newfoundland dog and mascot of the Royal Rifles of Canada. During WW2 the town of Gander, Newfoundland housed one of the largest airports in the world and became an important link in providing overseas flights to the British and Canadian Governments. The airport was primarily a Royal Air Force Ferry Command route to Britain but it was also used by the Royal Canadian Air Force and the United States Air Force.

The Hayden family lived on the airport base and had a large Newfoundland dog named Pal. The dog enjoyed living on the base but spent far too much time on the runways intercepting planes that were trying to land. The children of Gander loved Pal and he enjoyed pulling them on their sled. While playing one day, Pal jumped up and accidentally scratched the face of a young girl. Upset by the incident and fearful of the dog’s large size, the Hayden family decided to surrender the dog to the local Royal Rifles of Canada Regiment stationed at the airport. Pal was renamed “Gander” and quickly became the mascot of this famous unit. In 1941, with Gander in tow, the Royal Rifles of Canada were sent to Hong Kong to defend against the Japanese invasion. Gander protected the men of his regiment on numerous occasions but it was at the battle of Lye Mun on the 19th of December, that he showed his true courage. The P.D.S.A.‘s Dickin medal Citation for Gander reads as follows:

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 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.

Gander had actually grabbed the grenade in his mouth and ran off with it, thus saving the lives of the men in his regiment.

Gander received his posthumous award of the PDSA Dickin medal on 27 October, 2000.

This is one of many true stories of animal bravery. It is a reminder to us all of the loyalty and fierce protection a dog feels towards those he loves. In this instance, it was a devotion and loyalty worth dying for.