| Place | Europe: France, Picardie, Somme, Amiens Harbonnieres Area, Villers-Bretonneux Area, Villers-Bretonneux |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | E02225 |
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Negative |
| Maker |
Unknown Australian Official Photographer |
| Place made | France: Picardie, Somme, Amiens Harbonnieres Area, Villers-Bretonneux Area, Villers-Bretonneux |
| Date made | 29 April 1918 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Colonel D G Marks DSO, Commanding Officer of 13th Battalion, with a German messenger dog, named ...
Description
Colonel D G Marks DSO, Commanding Officer of 13th Battalion, with a German messenger dog, named 'Roff' by the Germans, but christened 'Digger' by the Australians, which was captured at Villers-Bretonneux. The use of messenger dogs by the Australian troops was adapted in this sector, but only as an auxiliary means of communication. Many dogs showed singular intelligence, but the system was not sufficiently reliable. Roff's stuffed and mounted skin is now in the Australian War Memorial's collection.