What Unit Is This?

Geoff,
L/Cpl Liam Tasker and Theo, now there is a story.
I spent years speaking to the WW2 handlers in the 13th Battalion with my interest in dogs and eventually wrote a book to raise much needed funds for our Parachute Regiment Museum based at Duxford, called "The Amazing Adventures of BING The Parachuting Dog" through the eyes of what the dog experienced, who in April 1947, was awarded the PDSA Dicken Medal or Victoria Cross for animals for his outstanding bravery whilst saving hundreds of lives of paratroopers by simply indicating when Germans ahead had laid an ambush. It sounds crazy but that dog was also amazing in what it taught me.

So to Liam and Theo. I was invited by the PDSA to the ceremony at their HQ in London, where Theo recieved her Victoria Cross (PDSA Dicken Medal) Postumously, as I had a very close working realtionship with both the RAVC and the Peoples Dispensary for Sick Animals, and besides my wifes name is Theo, which made it more poignant.
Not a dry eye in the place!

This is an interesting Pathe News reel parts one and two and shows a Whirlwind Helicopter dropping a dog into the jungle at 12:49 on Reel one. Leicestershire Regiments contacts in the jungle and an MC won by one of its officers is presumably what the story line was all about.
Also interesting to see the NO5 rifles and a variety of weapons used by the Indonesian side. I appreciate its a propaganda film but there are lots of points that come out of it, mine would be why was it made by a predominantly UK news organisation, not a film company.

Ambush Reel 1 (1964) - YouTube

Ambush Reel 2 (1964) - YouTube

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gil Boyd

Which Force was he with?

---

30 years with Cumbria Constabulary.

Brit Plumber,
Thanks for that. I think they used the WOLVES system up there with their Tactical Firearms trained dogs if my memory is correct.

It was Carlisle, Comberland and Westmoreland Police when I was there as an apprentice. We used to play their Police Cadets at sports and games and they used to use our Gymnasiums with us. Howqever, they weren't allowed to do log work with those great lengths of telegraph poles we used to throw about like matchwood. We'd also do outward bound training together for days out on those bleak desolate fells/moors. Any kit losses we'd put down to the thieving Police Cadets! I still go back occasionally to reunions and the only thing that's changed about Carlisle is that the bus station has been moved and Binns is now House of Frazer!

Just looked at 10 mts of the film.... obviously a PR film! What were the rifles FN's or L1A1's? .303 Brens and Sterlings so it was just before the 'new' AR15's came on stream.

Fascinating films, Gil.

Peter,
Probably a film about Lt Peele of the Leicestershires who was awarded an MC. Unusual to see a two part film like that from Pathe.
Here's another film of the Headhunters of Borneo in 1929 made by Pathe. Thank God they had gone when we got there!!! :surrender:

Borneo And The Pygmy Cannibals (1929) - YouTube

I was probably there then Gil!!!!! The trouble was that we had machine guns and fxxxxxg great Savage shotguns and they didn't. Just joking for the benefit of the politically correct souls

No good giving them guns anyway. The lads at the Battle of Plaman Mapu in 1965 gave their trackers an SMG each. During the attack they were missing, only to be found cowering in their trench afterwards. When the CSM looked more closely, they wouldn't have been any use anyway, the SMG blocks and working parts had rusted solid, never been oiled since they were issued.................so best stick to blow pipes and spears in future!!
Worrying really and down to training them and covering safety, cleaning etc etc

Weird Weapons [Anti Tank Dog] - YouTube

They cared not for their Troops let alone dogs...........grrrr