The Dickin Medal: Six Impossible Episodes of Animal Bravery in History

The Vision of Maria Dickin

• 💡 Maria Dickin founded the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) in 1917 with the goal of raising the status of animals and highlighting their contributions.
• 🏥 The PDSA initially faced criticism from veterinary organizations for employing volunteers without formal veterinary surgeon qualifications, but it grew to serve many animals and people.
• 🏅 In 1943, during World War II, Maria Dickin established the Dickin Medal to honor acts of gallantry and devotion by military working animals.

Pigeons: The First Recipients

• 🕊️ The first three Dickin Medals were awarded on December 2nd, 1943, to pigeons Winky, White Vision, and Tyke (George) for delivering crucial messages under difficult conditions.
• ✈️ These pigeons were part of the National Pigeon Service, which utilized over 200,000 pigeons for communication during the war, often from aircraft that had to ditch.
• 🌊 Winky flew 120 miles through severe weather to alert rescuers after her bomber ditched in the North Sea, saving her four-man crew.

Canine Heroes and a Prisoner of War

• 🐕 Rip, a mixed-breed terrier found in London rubble, was awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945 for locating over a hundred survivors during the Blitz.
• 🎖️ Judy, a liver and white pointer, served on HMS Grasshopper and later became the only dog officially registered as a prisoner of war (POW) during WWII in a Japanese camp.
• 🐾 Judy's courage and watchfulness in the POW camp, where she helped maintain morale and warned of dangers, earned her the Dickin Medal in 1946.

Equine Valor and a Feline Rat Hunter

• 🐎 Three police horses, Olga, Upstart, and Regal, received the Dickin Medal in 1947 for their bravery during air raids and bomb strikes.
• 🇺🇸 Sergeant Reckless, a mare serving with the US Marine Corps during the Korean War, made 51 trips to the front lines in a single day, carrying ammunition and evacuating wounded.
• 🌟 Reckless, promoted to staff sergeant, was posthumously awarded the Dickin Medal in 2016 for her exceptional service and loyalty.
• 🚢 Simon, a tuxedo cat, served on HMS Amethyst during the Yangtze incident in 1949, hunting rats that threatened dwindling supplies and boosting crew morale, earning him the Dickin Medal.
• ⚓ Simon's citation highlighted his