EDM 382: Contribution of animals to the Armed Forces

That this House recognises that, alongside the extraordinary human contribution to the war effort in WWI and WWII, there was also an extraordinary animal effort, including the services of 8 million horses and countless mules that died in WWI, the services of 300,000 pigeons that served Britain in WWI and WWII, carrying essential messages when other forms of communication were not possible, including 17,000 pigeons dropped into occupied countries in WWI, where fewer than 1 in 8 returned, the services of 20,000 dogs that were trained for the British frontline in WWI to deliver essential medical supplies, employed by the Red Cross, the services of 7,000 dogs whose owners offered their pets for service, including Airedale terriers trained to find injured soldiers in WWI, and including Rob the Collie who undertook 20 parachute jumps into North Africa and was awarded the Dickens Medal for Gallantry, alongside 65 other animals who have received the Dickens medal since WWII; notes that animals continue to make a significant contribution to our Armed Forces; and believes that animals should be recognised even further as a key part of our Armed Forces, and that they should be commemorated by further uptake of the Purple Poppy.