Animals in the First World War
Whether they had fur of feathers, discover the misfortune of animals: the unlucky companions of the troops during World War I.
Les pigeons voyageurs (Between 1914 and 1918) by AnonymousMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
Vaillant, war pigeon
Soldiers had a unique method for communicating with an isolated ally front: the pigeon. With messages attached to their wings, pigeons flew over battlefields in record time. Some were even trained to fly at night to avoid enemy fire.
On June 4, 1916, Vaillant, a carrier pigeon working for the French army, left Fort Vaux and was then attacked by the Germans. Intoxicated by gas, it managed to deliver an SOS message to the French troops. Decorated with the Ring of Honor in the colors of the Legion of Honor, cited in the Order of the Army, Vaillant was among 20,000 pigeons killed during World War I, remembered by a monument erected in their memory in Linne in 1936.
These pigeons hide their game well ...
War horse
The cavalry became too vulnerable in the face of modern artillery, which meant that horses were used for other tasks. Horsepower was used to transport provisions, munitions and the injured between the frontline and the back lines.
Between 1914 and 1918, around one million horses working for the French army were killed.
Âne portant une pièce d'artillerie Âne portant une pièce d'artillerie (Between 1914 and 1918) by AnonymousMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
The donkey who can
Donkeys also contributed.
They are smaller than horses but they are able to carry up to 330 pounds (150 kg) and can more easily sneak into trenches to deliver food and artillery.
Patrouille alpine (Between 1915 and 1918) by Servizio fotografico dell' aerononautica and AnonymousMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
Donkeys were given one of the most difficult tasks of World War I: fighting in the mountains, in the snow and ice, on the Italian front in the Alps. Generally used by Alpine units, donkeys served as guides for soldiers thanks to their sure-footedness in hostile environments.
Saucisse tirée par des ânes Saucisse tirée par des ânes (Between 1914 and 1918) by AnonymousMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
Donkeys were not officially counted by the French army, but it is estimated that 300,000 were deployed on the different fronts between 1914 and 1918. However, unlike the horse, its cousin, the donkey was not recognized as an official combatant by the army.
Ah, family affairs!
Aviateur jouant avec des chiens Aviateur jouant avec des chiens (1914/1918) by Jacques-Philibert-Pierre d'Harcourt (Photographer)Musée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
The most loyal of the troops
The dog was THE war animal, to the extent that it had civil status, a military passbook, an identity disc, and its own equipment.
Groupe de soldats sikhs à Paris, en marge du défilé des armées alliées du 14 juillet 1916 (July 14, 1916) by AnonymousMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
They were assigned to various missions, as guard dogs, liaisons, draught dogs, or even paramedics (no license, of course).
The French army had ambulance dogs. Thanks to their very well developed sense of smell, dogs were able to find the injured buried under the rubble, while they hid from their enemies.
Stubby, an American bull terrier, participated in 17 battles during World War I. Thanks to his efforts, he reached the rank of sergeant and received the highest military distinction: the Purple Heart.
What a story.
When the cat's away …
Team cat vs team dog. Don't worry, cats also had their moment of glory.
Comforting and calm animals, their presence was soothing and gave the troops a sense of normality. Cat therapy before its time!
Soldats posant devant une maison Soldats posant devant une maison (Between 1914 and 1918) by Jacques-Philibert-Pierre d'Harcourt (Photographer)Musée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
The soldiers liked to surround themselves with animals, to bring them luck and to bring them together and identify them as a military unit.
The soldiers had particular affection for their cats, with who they would share their powdered milk rations. The favorites…
When they weren't sleeping, cats drove out the rats and other vermin from the trenches. This beneficial action removed an annoyance for the soldiers and protected the troops' food.
Faced with the turmoil of war, man and animal become essential to one another. Around 14 million animals were involved in World War I.
The careers of some animals have inspired films such as Valiant (2005), Warhorse (2011), and even Stubby (2018), as well as inspiring literature, for instance, The Red Collar by Jean-Christophe Ruffin. A way to remember soldiers' unlucky pets.
A story written and edited by the teams of the Army Museum.
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