Guide to the Animals Souvenir Collection

Collection Number: Souvenirs 12

Summary

Title: Animals Souvenirs Collection

Date range of collection: 1914 -

Scope and content note: Contains souvenirs relating to the role of animals in Australia's military history, particularly as unit mascots.

Provenance: Items in this collection have been collected from a variety of different sources and donors.

Extent: 1 folder.

Repository: Australian War Memorial

Location: Published Collections, Research Centre, Australian War Memorial.

Administrative information

Processing history: Collection re-housed and re-numbered in 2005.

Accruals: This collection is being added to.

Access: Open. Some items are restricted. Please contact the curator of Published Collections for access. The collection is accessible in the Research Centre Reading Room on the lower ground floor of the Memorial during the Reading Room opening hours. The opening hours are Monday to Friday from 10 am to 5 pm and on Saturdays from 1pm to 5pm. The Reading Room is closed on Sundays and ACT public holidays. Researches can contact the Research Centre to plan a visit. To access the collection the user will need to register as a client and agree to the Reading Room’s conditions of use. To contact the Information Services department or to make an appointment to visit the Reading Room call 02 62434315 or send an email to info@awm.gov.au.

Restrictions on use and reproduction: For copyright enquiries, contact the Senior Curator, Published & Digitised Collections.

Preferred citation: Animals Souvenirs Collection, Australian War Memorial, Souvenirs 12.

Keywords:

Subject:
Animals
Mascots

Historical background

Animals have played varying and significant roles in Australia's military history, from assisting in battle to providing company and building comradeship within a unit as a mascot. Horses have been used extensively during war as a means of transport, and are especially useful as they are able to traverse deep mud, ditches and river beds that vehicles cannot cross. They have served with patrols, pulled wagons, ambulances and water carts, hauled ammunition and, of course, were the basis of the cavalry. Horses were joined in many of these duties by mules, oxen, camels and donkeys, the most notable example being Simpson and his donkey at Gallipoli.

Other animals, however, have also served during wartime in less well known roles. Dogs were used as messengers and in sentry duties while pigeons were used as war messengers, with the Australian forces even establishing an Australian Corps of Signals Pigeon Service in 1942.

Animals have also featured in our military history as mascots and companions for our forces. Many Australian units in the First and Second World Wars adopted an animal as a mascot. A popular mascot was the dog, but some units took kangaroos to Egypt and units adopted other animals such as monkeys, birds, goats and cats.

References:

Baynes, Ernest Harold, Animal heroes of the Great War ([London]: Macmillon, 1927).
Baker, Peter Shaw, Animal war heroes London: A. & C. Black, 1933).

Series number	Title of Series and Date
1	First World War, 1914-1918
2	Second World War, 1939-1945

SERIES 1: First World War, 1914-1918

Description: The series contains souvenirs relating to animals during the First World War.

File	Title/Description
1/1/1	A leaflet announcing the death of "Tommy Brown", a koala that was the mascot of the Motor Transport Section of the Third Division Supply Column, Australian Field Force. The leaflet claims that he was the only koala brought alive to England. (1 item)
1/1/2	Postcard of 'Gunner' the dog. Message on back reads, "Gunner' went from Broadmeadows with B Coy 14 Battalion dec 22nd 1914'. He is pictured on board HMAT Ulysses. (RC03932). (1 item)
1/1/3	Postcard of 'Muggins', a dog mascot. He raised $5000 for the Red Cross in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. (RC08882) (1 item)
1/1/4	Second Army Carrier Pigeon Service. Leaflet detailed policies relating to carrier pigeons. (PUB01442) (1 item)