Close-up of the USMC “Tuefel Hunden” by MILITARY Martin Ritchie. Text and Photos: James H. Hillestad James H. Hillestad reflects on the unique and at times bizarre roles played by animals such as goats, sheep and elephants in British military history and traditions

hen stationed as “official” mascots. commanding officer of the regiment asked one overseas, British Official mascots are those of his soldiers whether he could try to rescue soldiers often recognized by the British the animal. The soldier agreed and off he went, adopted an Army Honours and Distinction braving heavy gunfire. extraordinary Committee. Such mascots, of Commemorating the successful deed, the menagerie of which there are nine, receive a ram received the Indian Mutiny medal, which is Wanimals. Some of these regimental number, assume a worn on a beautifully embroidered coat to this remained , some rose to proper rank (with prospects for day. The 95th soldier’s reward for rescuing the become regimental mascots promotion) and get a fair share ram is unknown. and a few became recognized of Army rations. Some mascots are indicative of the recruiting area of a regiment. Examples include the Staffordshire bull terrier, Irish ram by Caberfeidh. wolfhound and Welsh goats.

BUNKER HILL GOAT The earliest record of a regimental is a goat adopted by the during the American Revolutionary War. After wandering into the Battle of Bunker Hill during the 1775 Siege of Boston, the goat wound up leading the Fusiliers’ Regimental Colours off the battlefield. The mascot of the 95th Regiment (later the Sherwood Foresters) originated in the Indian Mutiny of 1857, when Royal Regiment a ram had been tethered to a of Wales goat by Caberfeidh. Cigarette card depicting “The stake awaiting consumption Bear of the Royal Guards.” by the mutineers. The

Irish Guards Royal Irish wolfhound by wolfhound by Caberfeidh. Caberfeidh.

14 | Toy Soldier & Model Figure Argyll and Sutherland Durham Light Highlanders pony by Infantry goat by Caberfeidh. Caberfeidh.

SHETLAND PONIES Argyll. The horse’s name The Imperial Light Horse of was Cruachan, the war cry of South Africa have as their the Campbells mascot “Queen’s Hussar I.” of Argyll. The black Shetland pony was Noteworthy was his green Imperial Light Horse given the name because of the shabrack with yellow border pony by Caberfeidh. late Queen Mother’s special -- the regimental colors. affection for the mascot and Cruachan was playful, though the Light Horse’s regimental on one occasion he kicked a alliance with the 4th Queen’s drum major. The offense was Own Hussars. A plume in not taken quite as seriously as regimental green and gold is it might have been because fitted to the top of the pony’s the drum major was a Gordon bridle. Highlander. The Argyll and Sutherland The Parachute Regiment Highlanders were presented also took a Shetland pony as with a Shetland pony in 1929 a mascot. It was named after by their Colonel-in-Chief, HRH Pegasus, the winged horse of the Princess Louise, Duchess of Greek mythology.

Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders pony by Drill Square. Royal Welch Fusiliers goat by Caberfeidh.

Toy Soldier & Model Figure | 15 Parachute The 66th Regiment’s Royal Welch regiment pony mascot Bobbie by Fusiliers goat by by Caberfeidh. Trophy. Drill Square.

was later promoted to flight lieutenant. When the 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, returned home from South Africa in February 1903, the soldiers DON THE BABOON brought with them a rather Frederick, a South African pink-breasted pelican, special mule named Jimson. was recruited into the Royal Air Force by He served with them through members of the Central Flying School in 1971. He two wars, carrying ammunition began in the rank of “Senior Under Pelican” and under fire in India and South Africa. Jimson was dressed out in a RAF pelican by lemon-yellow shabrack (yellow Caberfeidh. being the color of the regiment’s facings), edged with scarlet and bearing the Prince of Wales’s feather crest. In addition, the mule was decorated with a red and white throat plume. The Middlesex Regiment also brought back Don, a baboon.

ANTELOPE HALTS PARADE Tradition has it that the Royal Cigarette card portraying “Plassey, The Warwickshire Regiment Cub of the 102nd Royal Madras Fusiliers (Now acquired the badge of an 1st Battln., Royal Munster Fusiliers).”

Middlesex Regiment mule by Drill Square. U.S. MARINES’ CHESTY BULLDOG Not to be overlooked, the U.S. Armed Forces are also known for their mascots. Highly visible at parades and sports events are the mascots of the various service academies and the Marine Corps. Since 1922, the USMC has used a bulldog as its mascot. Each has been named “Chesty” after the famous Marine Lt. Gen. Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller Jr. The dog lives at the Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C., where he appears in weekly parades. The adoption of a bulldog as a mascot was inspired by the name “Devil Dogs” or “Teufel Hunden,” given by the Germans to the Marines who fought so ferociously at Belleau Wood in World War I. --James H. Hillestad

16 | Toy Soldier & Model Figure wolfhound by Drill Square.

Dick the fox terrier of Rorke’s Drift fame by Trophy. When stationed overseas, British soldiers often adopted an extra- ordinary menagerie of animals. Some of these remained pets, some rose to become regimental mascots and a few became recognized as ‘official’ Canadian Irish wolfhound by mascots. Caberfeidh. antelope in 1707 during the War King George V and proceeded of the Spanish Succession. One to nibble the grass, thus halting of the standards captured from the parade. the Moors carried the antelope In 1968, the Royal Warwick- as its emblem. shire Regiment was absorbed The first live antelope dates into the Royal Regiment of from 1871 and was obtained Fusiliers, where the tradition of when the regiment was the antelope mascot carries on. stationed in India. The animal was named Billy. Since then, the mascots have been named BOXER BOUNCES BACK variously Bobby and Charlie. The mascot tradition in the Though amenable to regiments of Staffordshire discipline, the antelopes have reaches back to the 19th been known to have a mind of century, when the South their own. At a military review was in Aldershot, the then current ordered to march with Lord mascot, Bobby, chose to lay Wolseley in an attempt to U.S. Naval down as he was being led past relieve Gen. Charles Gordon, Academy goat by Martin Ritchie.

Sherwood Foresters The Welch Regiment ram by Drill Square. goat by Drill Square.

Toy Soldier & Model Figure | 17 U.S. Military Academy at West Point mule by Staffordshire Royal Warwickshire Martin Ritchie. Regiment bull Regiment Antelope terrier by Ducal. by Ducal.

who was besieged by Mahdists in Khartoum, retreat. Nevertheless the Sudan. The regiment entrained at Cairo with their IRISH BRIAN BORU spunky dog managed to trek Staffordshire bull terrier named Boxer. In 1902, the Irish Wolfhound some 50 miles from the scene Startled by the sudden noise of the Club presented the Irish Guards of the defeat to the British lines locomotive’s engine as it departed, Boxer leaped with a prize dog for a regimental in Kandahar, where he was from the moving train. He was seen lying, mascot. He was named Brian reunited with his wounded presumed dead, at the side of the tracks. Boru, after the famous King of owner and the regiment. A few days later, Boxer showed up at the Ireland (926 to 1014). Bobbie returned with the regiment’s encampment at Assiut -- very thin and During ceremonial parades 66th to England. Along with a bedraggled after having walked more than 200 the wolfhound always occupied group of soldiers receiving their miles along the railway tracks in the scorching a position at the head of the Distinguished Conduct Orders, heat. This feat marked the beginning of the regiment, led by the smallest Bobbie was presented to tradition of having a bull terrier as regimental drummer boy. . mascot. To this day, the Irish Guards Sadly Bobbie was is the only regiment in the accidentally run over by a Household Division to have an hansom cab and killed in MASCOT GETS DEMOTED “official” mascot. Gosport about a year later. The In a rare occurrence, a British dog was stuffed, decorated with was demoted in June 2006. an unknown soldier’s Afghan A 6-year-old goat named Billy was LEGENDARY BOBBIE War medal and put on display downgraded from the rank of Then there is the story of in the regimental museum in to fusilier -- the same status as a private. Bobbie, a mongrel from Salisbury. A member of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, Reading who was the property Billy became uncontrollable while on parade of Lance Sgt. Peter Kelly of the at a British base in Cyprus. In the presence of 66th (Berkshire) Regiment. RORKE’S DRIFT DICK United Nations dignitaries, he darted from side Bobbie accompanied the Another illustrious dog was to side, throwing the soldiers off their stride. 66th to in 1880 a fox terrier named Dick, the Capt. William Rose, who was present at for service in the Second constant companion of Surgeon the parade, said that the goat “was trying to Anglo-Afghan War. After the Major James Reynolds. head-butt the waist and nether regions of the disastrous Battle of Maiwand, The physician was with drummers.” in which the 66th suffered 62 British troops who defended --James H. Hillestad percent casualties, Bobbie Rorke’s Drift during the Anglo- was lost during the survivors’ Zulu War of 1879. Despite being

The Parachute Regiment’s Shetland pony leads a parade of mascots from various W. Britain limited edition sets in the collection of TS&MF contributor Clyde Cocke. Following are the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers antelope, the Staffordshire Regiment bull terrier, the Royal Irish Rangers Irish wolfhound and the Royal Welch Fusiliers goat. (Photo by Eilene Harkless Moore)

18 | Toy Soldier & Model Figure Dorset set depicting Sir Nils Olav, penguin mascot of the Norwegian King’s Guard, reviewing a detachment after being knighted in Edinburgh in 2008. (Photo by Giles Brown, Dorset Soldiers)

attacked by overwhelming numbers, B Company, Cigarette card showing 2nd Battalion, 24th Foot, managed to repel the HIGHLANDERS’ ELEPHANT “Pet Crane, 16th Lancers.” Zulus after a 12-hour siege. A most conspicuous mascot Dick appears in a famous painting of the was the elephant of the 78th battle by Adolph Alphonse de Neuville. Highlanders (later Seaforth W. Britain, Caberfeidh Highlanders), acquired in Miniatures of Scotland, Ducal Ceylon in 1838. “The Elephant” Models, Dorset Soldiers, Trophy The USMC’s was thought appropriate as it Miniatures of Wales Ltd. and Chesty mascot by commemorated the Battle of Martin Ritchie of U.S. Military Martin Ritchie. Assaye in 1803. Miniatures. Photos of some The elephant was brought examples of 54-mm, painted home to Scotland, where it metal mascots accompany this marched with the band, much article. to everyone’s delight. Unfortunately, his keeper, a Pvt. McIntosh, was fond of his wee drams of whisky and allowed the mascot to indulge as well. The elephant took to the habit, developed a mean disposition and had to be “transferred” to the Zoological Society of Edinburgh.

KING PENGUIN Though not affiliated with the British military, probably the most unusual mascot is “Colonel-in-Chief Sir Nils Olav,” a king penguin who resides in Scotland. He was adopted as U.S. Air Force USMC “Tuefel the mascot of the Norwegian Academy falcon by Hunden” by Martin Ritchie. Martin Ritchie. King’s Guards when they participated in the Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 1972. Aug. 15, 2008, the penguin was awarded a knighthood, an honor approved by Harald V, the King of Norway. Sir Nils resides in the Edinburgh Zoo, which has a penguin colony. Martin Ritchie US Military Miniatures PO Box 323, Gilbert PA 18331 MINIATURE MASCOTS Tel: 610-681-5324 Given the colorful and at Email: [email protected] times fanciful assortment of regimental mascots, it is not surprising that they have ABOUT THE WRITER captured the attention of a James H. Hillestad is the proprietor number of toy figure makers of The Toy Soldier Museum and past and present through the shop in Cresco, Pa., USA. years, including Drill Square,

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