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RR 2013/114 The Animal Victoria Cross - The Dickin Medal P.J. Hawthorne Pen & Sword Barnsley 2012 xvi + 158 pp. ISBN 978 1 78159 042 3 £16.99
Keywords Animals, United Kingdom, War
Review DOI 10.1108/09504121311308813
Pen & Sword have in recent years published books giving details of all the deeds that have won the Victoria Cross (Brazier, 2010) (RR 2010/344) and the George Cross (Brazier, 2012) (RR 2013/033) and have now followed these up with another to do the same for the Dickin Medal, which is held to be the animal equivalent of these high decorations. The Introduction explains that it was established in 1943 by Maria Dickin, founder of the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, who had been struck by the numerous press accounts of brave deeds by animals during the Second World War. To date, it has been awarded by the PDSA to 63 animals: 28 dogs, 31 pigeons, three horses and one cat, mostly for deeds in wars and conflicts but sometimes for disasters in civilian life. Until 2001, all the awards had been made to animals connected with Britain or the...