Sea Dog Bamse: World War II Canine Hero

ISBN-13: 9781841588490 / Angielski / Miękka / 2010 / 224 str.

Andrew Orr

Opis

This is the remarkable story of one of WWII s most unusual animal heroes a 196 pound St Bernard dog who became the global mascot for the Royal Norwegian Forces and a symbol of freedom and inspiration for Allied troops throughout Europe.Many ships had pets on board, but Bamse the St. Bernard who 'lived' on Thorodd, and belonged to her commander, Erling Hafto, was the largest dog in the allied naval forces. After Norway fell to the Germans in 1940, the Thorodd operated from Dundee and Montrose, where Bamse became a well-known and much-loved figure, shepherding the Thorodd s crew-members back to the boat at pub closing time, traveling on the local buses, breaking up fights and even taking part in football matches. Often donning his own steel helmet as he took his place in the Thorodd s bow gun turret, Bamse made a huge contribution to the morale of the crew, and saved the lives of two of them.Mourned both by locals and Norwegians when he died in 1944, Bamse s memory has been kept alive both in Norway, where he is still regarded as a national hero, and in Montrose, where a larger-than-life statue of him was unveiled in 2006 by HRH Prince Andrew. Written from extensive source material and eyewitness accounts, Sea Dog Bamse is a fitting tribute to the extraordinary life of an extraordinary dog."