Phil
Dogs of War
June 7, 2009 12:00 AM
I came across this video the other day, and it started me thinking (rarely a good sign)...
Given how well-received our recent New Vanguard on War Elephants has been, and the comments on our April Fools' blog, the idea of a New Vanguard title on dogs in war might not be as impossible as it might once have seemed.
Dogs have been used throughout history as weapons of war* – from the (in)famous Soviet bomb dogs of WWII to attack dogs used by the Britons, Romans and many others, and the comparatively more genteel use of dogs to haul machine guns (Belgian Army, 1915), or as trackers, scouts and sentries – more than enough to fill a 48-page New Vanguard with 7 colour plates (though I think we'll give the cutaway a miss and opt for a battlescene...).
If there is enough serious interest in this as a topic, I will start looking for authors who could put together a book on it!
* Neither Osprey nor any of its staff condone the use of animals as weapons. Especially if they explode.
COMMENTS
I thought several of the ideas in the April Fools piece were actually quite good. I don't know that they rate new series, but could be volumes in existing series. The U.S. Navy use of dolphins and seals, horses as cavalry mounts, draft horses, and dogs in several roles could be included in the New Vanguard series.
No animals were injuried in the writing of this comment.
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I would have throught there was plenty to go on if you took the topic more broadly to include the latest uses for military working dogs (IED detection etc). Just reading in Patrick Bishop's new book Ground Truth about one dog handler who was killed along with his dog in a reasonably heavy contact. The patrol took the handlers body (and the dogs) back to the FOB for evacuation. When they got there they found the dogs body had dropped from the stretcher. Such is the close working relationship not just between handler and dog but between them and those they support that the patrol went back out to collect the dogs body, despite being exhausted thmeselves - adds a new dimension to "leave no one behind"!
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I actually thought a book about the use of military dogs would be a great addition to the New Vanguard series. Canines have been used in numerous ways by the military. The canine has been used in a variety of ways in the military like no other animal. As guards, trackers, scouts, search and rescuers, they have provided use on the battlefield; as mascots and therapy dogs, they have a larger role with the military than horses, elephants, dolphins, pigeons or bats. (Let's face it, dogs are more reliable with bombs than the bats are.) Also, let's not forget that several dogs have received military medals and I believe there is a the Dickin Medal. I didn't think adding a Dogs of War book as being that silly. However, expanding the New Vanguard to other animals might be a bit much. Maybe a book on the history of war horses... however anything past that would have to be in a General Military book on the history of animals during war. (PS if a book on War Dogs is published, a cutaway must be included!)
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