They're Britain's dogs of war

[Observer_1938]

  They're Britain's dogs of war   

  By TOM NEWTON DUNN
Defence Editor

Published: 21 Jul 2008
   

DOGS will lead the way in SAS raids after being parachuted in to spy out rebels for troops, The Sun can reveal.
Fearless German Shepherds are being trained to jump from aircraft at 25,000ft wearing their own oxygen masks and strapped to special forces assault teams.

Once down in hostile terrain in Iraq or Afghanistan, the dogs will be sent in first to seek out insurgents’ hideouts with tiny cameras fixed to their heads.

The cameras will beam live TV pictures back to the troops, warning of ambushes or showing enemy leaders’ locations.

The amazing tactic – on which The Sun has been fully briefed – has been devised to cut down the Who Dares Wins regiment's soaring casualty rates.

To read the full article go the link below.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/campaigns/our_boys/article1447714.ece

[sniper]

Well even as long ago as us,,,,,we used labradors

[Jacob]

I'm no expert nor have I ever served with the SAS, but to me that takes away the regiment tradition. The idea of the SAS is hostile engagement, not sending animals as narks.

[sniper]

The idea of SAS is recon by stealth

[Jacob]

I get that, but why use animals?

[sniper]

We used them in Malaya,Borneo and Vietnam,Somolia and Rhwanda from what I.m told.......better a dead or mangled dog than a human.....also better hearing and early warning devices.....not to mention very handy on survival courses where they always send along a few tins of dogfood in case the dog isn't doing so well...stuff you mate....nothing wrong with pal... better than luncheon meat type 2

[Jacob]

lol

Good point. I dunno, I just thought that animal activists for one would have a field day chucking shit towards the Army for animal cruelty, and the fact that Dogs might otherwise trigger explosive devices near and/or around the area in which the SAS reside. For example if you have a rendezvous point within the AO, and the Dogs happen to be walking around off their leash they may perhaps step on a landmine or something.

To me that would be dangerous not only because of the amount of fatalities, but any troops near by will have immediate attention drawn to them.

[Observer_1938]

Australian Defence Force Trackers & War Dogs Association
 
 
 
 
 The ADFTWDA consists of past and present members of the three services of the Australian Defence Force, Army-Navy-Airforce, who have                                                                                                                         

served with, or provided direct support for the Anti Tank /Tracker Platoons of the Royal Australian Regiment, or
served with, or provided support for units working with war dogs.                 
There is also provision for Associate and Social membership.

The ADFTWDA although incorporated in Queensland, is a national organisation with its Management Committee based in the South East Queensland Region of Australia.

We believe that our website is an electronic information centre and a meeting place not only for our members but also for those who may be interested in our past and present activities.
 
     
 The aims of the Association are to develop, promote, and perpetuate a comradeship which was inspired by service with  or in support of the Australian war  dog units, and to also  create and maintain strong links with current serving members of the defence force and their families
 
 
   
 
 LEST WE FORGET
 
Go to the link--see the images


http://aussietrackers.org/

[Jacob]

Thanks for the link, OB.

[Observer_1938]

Read this  then follow the link and find out what it is all about     

Dogs of War

by Elizabeth Stewart

There is a shell-shocked Digger who will be in Vietnam until he dies … He is Private Tiber, a black labrador tracker dog. Tiber is a casualty of a Viet Cong attack in May last year. A rocket-propelled grenade burst only a few feet away from him. Since then he has been gun-shy -- sometimes he jumps whimpering into a ditch when Australian artillery or mortars fire.

Melbourne Herald, 10 May 1969.

Eleven of the most popular contributors to the Australian war effort in Vietnam could not return home when their tour of duty ended. They were the black labrador tracker dogs used by the Australian Task Force.



Read it now     this means you        


http://www.anzacday.org.au/history/vietnam/dogs.html

[sniper]

A special bond between soldiers in Iraq - Los Angeles TimesSince the start of the Iraq war, about 1000 dogs have passed through the combat zone, and three, including Cooper, have been killed in action. ...
articles.latimes.com/2008/feb/25/world/fg-dogs25 - 38k - Cached - Similar pages

[sniper]

HE was an unsung hero of the war on terror - an explosives specialist who died sniffing out danger before it killed our Diggers.

Andy, a two-year-old kelpie cross, was killed when hit by a vehicle during a bomb-sniffing exercise in Afghanistan on Thursday.

He had only been in war-ravaged Afghanistan for a few months on what was to be his first and last mission.

His handler, a member of the high-risk Special Operations Task Group, was devastated.

"It's the same mateship that you have with human beings," defence spokesman Brigadier Andrew Nikolic said.

"They're with them every day. They're involved with the training. They become very close."

Details of the accident were kept secret for security purposes but it occurred during an "off-lead" - as in not wearing a leash - exercise inside the Kamp Holland complex at Tarin Kowt in the Oruzgan province.

The vehicle that hit him was believed to be driven by Dutch or British troops serving in the International Security Assistance Force.

Less affectionately known as EDD452 - the first part stands for explosive detection dog - Andy had extensive training to sniff out improvised explosives planted by the enemy.

Already two of his canine comrades in Afghanistan have been killed in the line of duty. One, "Razz", was killed in September while unearthing a giant bomb. His handler was injured in the incident.

Andy was yet to notch up such an impressive rung in his collar but was seen as a rising star.

[sniper]

Razz dies saving his mates’ lives
By Cpl Corinne Boer

Edition 1176, October 4, 2007
 
   
   
Killed in the line of duty: EDD Razz during a training activity in Australia. Razz was killed while identifying a Taliban IED in Afghanistan.
 
THREE Australian soldiers have been injured and an Explosive Detection Dog (EDD) has been killed in two improvised explosive device (IED) attacks by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

A Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) vehicle was hit by an IED which slightly wounded two soldiers in Oruzgan Province.

Director General Public Affairs Brig Andrew Nikolic said the wounded soldiers were provided with first-aid by their fellow soldiers and evacuated to a nearby International Security Assistance Force hospital.

“One of the two soldiers received specialist medical care but due to nature of his injuries is to return to Australia for further treatment,” he said.

A second IED was discovered by a labrador named Razz and his handler during a route clearance task. The bomb exploded on discovery which resulted in the death of the dog and slightly wounded the handler.

Brig Nikolic said the actions of Razz and his fellow EDDs had saved lives.

“Improvised devices placed on public roads are designed to kill and maim people. Razz helped identify where the bomb was placed and sadly paid the ultimate price for his actions,” he said.

Razz is the second dog to be killed in Afghanistan following the death of Merlin in a vehicle accident four weeks earlier.

Both animals will be honoured in a memorial at the school of military engineering in Sydney.

Commander of Training Command Maj-Gen Ash Power said an existing memorial at the home of the EDD will be expanded to incorporate and pay tribute to the hard work of the EDD.

“In this case the dogs have paid the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the safety of Australian soldiers on operations”, he said.

The Australian Army has employed working dogs since World War I.

Dogs on ops
IN 1981 the training of Mine Detection Dogs ceased and EDD training commenced.
Since then, EDDs have deployed on the following operations:

1988 Expo 88 (Brisbane)

1993 Somalia (Op Solace)

1994 Op Lagoon (Bougainville PNG)

1997 US Presidential visit (Port Douglas)

1999 Timor-Leste “Op Stabilise” VCPs, weapon cache hides

2000 Sydney Olympics (Op Gold)

2002 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

2003 Solomon Islands weapons and explosives (Op Anode)

2003 Rugby World Cup (Op Scrummage)

2006 Commonwealth games Melbourne (Op Accolyte)

2005 current Afganistan weapons and IEDs (Op Slipper)

 
 
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[kiwi]

 
They are the most wonderful creatures

[benzilla]

agreed kiwi