On
Tuesday 6th Feb. 2007, there was a presentation at the Imperial War
Museum, London, of the Dickin Medal (known as "the animals V.C.), to
sniffer dog Sadie (handler L.Cpl Karen Yardley, RAVC) for her devotion
to duty in finding a bomb in the UN Compound in Kabul, in November 2005.At
the same presentation, made by HRH Princess Alexandra, a belated award
of the Dickin Medal was also made to 3610 Air Dog Lucky, who was
on duty during the "Malayan Emergency" about 50 years ago.
This Medal was accepted by Lucky's RAFP handler at the time,
Bev. Stapleton, East Midlands Branch.
Congratulations
to Karen & Sadie, Bev & Lucky. It's
never too late !
After a lapse of 57 years, the heroic action of Air Dog Lucky; a tracker
GSD handled by Corporal Bevel Austin
Stapleton (RAFPA Member)will be honoured by leading veterinary charity PDSA at a special
ceremony to be held at the Imperial
War Museum, London on 6 February 2007 with the presentation of the
PDSA Dickin Medal; the
Animals' Victoria Cross. The presentation will be made by PDSA Patron, HRH
Princess Alexandra. The posthumous award will go to Lucky, a RAF Police tracker dog, on behalf of the four RAF
Police tracker dogs that worked tirelessly in the Malayan jungle between 1949
and 1952 hunting down terrorists. During the Malaya Campaign, Lucky and his
canine colleagues, Bobbie, Jasper and Lassie were instrumental in the capture of
hundreds of communist terrorists including the notorious gang leader
Lan-Jang-San who was responsible for the death of many local people. The
determination and jungle tracking skills of the four dogs and their two handlers
lead to his capture, preventing further
casualties.
"The Dickin Medal is recognised throughout
the world as the animals' Victoria Cross and is the highest award any animal can
receive for bravery in the line of duty." The presentation to Lucky will bring the total
number of PDSA Dickin Medals presented to animals in war to 62. Since the
introduction of the award by PDSA's founder Maria Dickin CBE in 1943 it has been
awarded to 24 dogs, 32 World War II messenger pigeons, three horses and one
cat.
ANTI-TERRORIST
OPERATIONS - MALAYAN JUNGLE 1950
(Extract
from RAF Police Dogs on Patrol By Stephen R
Davies)
On the 21st
January 1950, Corporal’s Stapleton and Thackray were called
out to assist soldiers of the Green Howard’s Regiment in
locating a wounded terrorist who had escaped into an area of swamp. As
soon as the NCOs had been briefed they set about searching the area
with their dogs for a scent to follow. Soon after, two of the dogs,
Bobby and Lassie jumped into a stretch of water and something appeared
to go tragically wrong; Bobbie just disappeared below the surface,
while Lassie convulsed, bit her back and immediately sank below the
water. At that point Corporal Stapleton saw that there were lots of
dead fish floating on the surface and then noticed a cable running into
the water. A later enquiry, established that it was a live electric
cable, which had been severed by a bullet and which had dropped into
the water. Although both police dogs had been instantly killed by the
30,000 volt current, their loss had actually saved their handlers and
other members of the patrol from being electrocuted.
Bev Stapleton & Air Dog Lucky 1950