The Dog that Saved My Life: Incredible true stories of canine loyalty beyond all bounds

Smoke from the train swirled around as the guards and officers mingled with civilians and soldiers on the busy platform. Fred Kelly and his friends viewed the situation and tried not to look as nervous as they felt. The officers were on the look out for deserters or anyone trying to smuggle an animal mascot aboard. If only Gander had been a monkey or a kitten or something smaller than a full-grown Newfoundland dog, hiding him would have been easier. But the men were just about to discover that their dog was the most obedient creature on earth, and the cunning plan they had hatched in the relative security of Gander Airfield was about to be put to the test.

Within seconds of marching into the station the men were lining up to board the train. Fred Kelly tightened his grip on Gander’s leash as the rest of the detachment mingled to shield the dog from view. Gander wasn’t used to crowds like this and Fred could sense the big dog’s unease. All the time they were hoping no one would look down and see four hairy black paws on the ground.

Roll call sent shivers down Fred Kelly’s spine. But he need not have worried. It was to go just as they had practised. Whenever Sergeant Gander’s name was called, Fred piped up ‘Sir!’ and two of his friends started a scuffle to distract the officers while the dog was bundled onto the train. The plan worked perfectly! Now all they had to do was find their seats before any official took a backwards glance to double-check the large fur-coated recruit with the lumbering walk.

Although Sergeant Gander had a seat on the train, Fred decided to err on the side of caution and kept Gander lying on the floor for the time being. The dog was used to the floor; if he couldn’t get a bunk he would lie quietly at his master’s feet. The noise and bustle of the officers and men of the Royal Rifles of Canada and the 911 Winnipeg Grenadiers who boarded the train were enough to disguise the sound of the mascot dog’s heavy panting. But from this point on, the men had one thought – making sure their mascot stayed with them all the way. Fred Kelly’s caring approach and the tone of his voice saying, ‘That’s it, Gander old chum…quiet now…good boy…’ reassured the big dog that he was in safe hands.

The train was scheduled to stop in Ottawa, its third stop on the journey to Vancouver on the west coast. Brigadier Lawson, a veteran of the First World War, stationed in Canada’s capital and a career soldier, was to board the train as commander of ‘C’ Force – the newly created fighting force comprising the Winnipeg Grenadiers, the Royal Rifles of Canada, attached military support personnel and one mascot dog called Gander.

It was a three-day train journey and Gander was the perfect travelling companion. There was not an awful lot for a dog to do on a train and the men were afraid Gander would get bored and noisy and blow his cover but, as always, the fears can be greater than the reality. While the men played cards or disappeared into their own worlds to write letters to loved ones, Gander stayed with them. Sometimes he chose a lap to lie on or, if someone left their seat for too long, he would stretch out and fall asleep for a while or at least until the rightful owner gave Gander a gentle nudge to leave. No one minded Gander plonking his big slobbering jaws on their lap. If he decided you were going to be the play partner for the day it was best to give into it because he would never let a soldier have any peace until they had played at least one game of tug of war with a sock. The most difficult part about having Gander along for the ride was the impossibility of taking him for walks. Gander was very patient but he was a big dog and it wasn’t good to keep him cooped up in the train, but the men had no choice. They had come this far, so they made sure that Gander had long play sessions with improvised toys and a huge amount of tickles and play fights. Unable to enjoy his favourite thing of all, a shower, Fred ensured that he was washed down and that he had long grooming sessions too. Toileting was difficult for Gander because at almost three years old he was used to looking after himself. This was like puppy training all over again. The good thing was, Fred Kelly was used to dogs and had the inbuilt patience to coach Gander through the necessary paces. He also had to have everyone else’s support to make it work and in case of ‘accidents’. Fred created a toilet area for Gander in one of the washrooms. After a few days it was clear what he needed to perform and when, so Fred accompanied the dog and dealt with it all. It was rare that anyone else had anything to do as Gander was very ‘regular’ and Fred was never far away. If there was the odd accident the men knew what to do.

But another challenge lay ahead. Arriving in Vancouver on 28 October the men found the troopships, the HMNZS Awatea and HMCS Prince Robert, docked and waiting for them to embark. Before the war the massive and majestic Awatea, a converted luxury liner, had run between her home in New Zealand and Canada. Now her state rooms accommodated the officers while the men, the majority of them Winnipeg Grenadiers, slung their hammocks in every available space, even above the mess tables. The remainder of ‘C’ Force, the Royal Rifles of Canada, boarded the HMCS Prince Robert, the escort vessel, and Gander was amongst them.

The dockhands were busy loading the crates of supplies and ammunition, and the area was heaving with the hustle and bustle of dockyard activity. It was just the kind of chaos the men needed. Who was going to notice one dog in a muddled crowd like that? They just needed to get Sergeant Gander through one more roll call and they would soon be on the open sea.

As the men boarded the HMCS Prince Robert, they gathered to hide Gander as best they could. Just as before, they walked very closely together, Gander between them, and marched up to the gangplank. The stevedores noticed the dog, however, and refused to allow ‘the bear’ onto the boat. The regimental officers agreed but the men howled in protest when it was discovered that one of the officers had been allowed to take his small pet dog. The men pointed out that Gander was simply a large dog, so the authorities relented and Gander boarded the ship. They were home and dry! Gander was as exhausted as the men, who still had to hang their hammocks before they could rest. Gander couldn’t wait for such a luxury. After nudging his head against some of his friends, by way of maybe saying ‘thank you’, he slumped down onto the cabin floor and fell fast asleep. No one was going to move that huge slumbering dog, even though he was right in the middle of the accommodation area. So, they covered him with a blanket and left him in peace.

Several hours later Gander bolted out of his sleep to find that he was surrounded by his soldier friends. It was another new environment and he seemed somewhat unsteady on his feet as the ship rolled and swayed a little in the water. Fred was quick to move to give the dog a hug and say, ‘It’s all right Gander. You’re on a troopship and, like the rest of us buddy, you’re on your way to war.’ The men had guessed before the official announcement was made that they were bound for the Far East. Departing from Vancouver had been the biggest clue and now they were about four weeks from entering a war zone.

The entire regiment and now the crew of the Prince Robert knew the dog was onboard, so it was decided to allow Gander to enjoy the freedom of the ship at last. But how best to do that? Fred suggested that Gander make his entrance the next morning away from land; the thought of another long, uneventful day ahead would be brightened when the soldiers saw Gander. And so as the men finished their breakfast next morn ing Fred chose his moment to release Gander, when the men were chatting and finishing the dregs of their coffee. The big dog trotted into the mess area and immediately picked on a few of the men to brush up to and plant his great web-footed paws on! It was a great moment for all the men to see their mascot looking so fit and healthy and full of fun. He was the morale boost they needed at this stage of their journey. He ‘rough and tumbled’ with them and slobbered on them, commandeered their hammocks for a sleep and begged anything they cared to give him from their meagre rations. Gander was on the way to war amongst the men he loved and they, in return, loved him for it!

It was hot and uncomfortable in the cramped quarters of the HMCS Prince Robert. Gander probably felt it most of all and there was little that Fred Kelly could do to cool the big dog down, especially as there was a shortage of water on board and they needed every drop for drinking. The dog was now the most popular soldier aboard and his fellow soldiers did what they could to help him settle. But when his panting got bad all he could do was find a breezy companionway to lie in. The men knew if they saw Gander lying down it was a cool spot and they would often join him.

It was going to take four weeks for the troopships to reach the island of Hong Kong. It was a long journey but Gander was good company and a happy distraction for the men. Many were very young, some just 16 years old and away from home for the first time. All of them were proud to be fighting for their country and for freedom, but at the same time terrified of what lay ahead. For now they were on a voyage where the hours were filled with playing card games and any kind of activity to distract everyone from the smothering heat and the rolling of the ship. Conditions were the same on both troopships but it was fortunate that Gander was on the smaller vessel as there were fewer bodies around and it was possible to find a space away from every other hot person on board. Now that he was able to walk the ship freely, it was a great relief to the men who had sheltered him for so long and a bigger relief for Gander. It meant that Gander could perform another duty on the ship, that of ship’s comforter. Being in the presence of such a young crew, Gander was with men who were afraid they might never see home again. Many of them had never travelled outside their home towns in Canada; now they were heading for part of a country that they knew nothing about, and which did not share their culture or their way of thinking. They might fight an enemy on this foreign battlefield and perhaps that is where they would fight and die. So it was that Gander became a great comfort to the men of the Royal Rifles just by being around them. He reminded many soldiers of their dogs back home and provided that vital psychological link to the memory of home comforts, of a dog stretched out on the family hearth.

At sea, with no sighting of another ship for days, news of the world beyond the troopships gave the soldiers a glimpse of what was going to face them in Hong Kong. Tensions ran high in the confines of the ship as news of world conflict and worrying developments at their destination reached them. Soon they had their first glimpse of land since hitting the open sea. The view was dim and hazy but behind the cloudbank lay the craggy coastline of the Philippines. During the journey one of the men had become ill and died in the early hours. In the mists of morning the men gathered on the deck for a service that ended with a burial at sea. Later that same day, they reached Manila harbour. American fighter planes patrolled the skies, protecting US warships docked in readiness for an order to defend US interests in the event of an outbreak of hostilities and to engage any Japanese invaders. It was a sobering sight seeing so much hardware ready and waiting to be used in the event of war. The troopships Awatea and Prince Robert looked small and insignificant alongside the grey giants of the US Navy. Rising up out of the water like menacing sea monsters, they boosted the confidence of the Canadian soldiers looking on. Just seeing them ready and waiting was a strange comfort to the young men. Taking on oil and water, the troopships sailed out, giving the men one last view of the mountain peaks shrouded in cloud. Forty-eight hours later the men had been issued with their rifles and steel helmets and were preparing to disembark at what was to be their last port of call for a long time.

As dawn broke on 16 November 1941, the Awatea and the Prince Rupert rolled in the swell of the South China Sea as the men of ‘C’ Force, accompanied by two nursing sisters and several personnel from Brigade Headquarters, caught sight of the Hong Kong shoreline. As they stood on deck watching the activity ashore, everyone remembered and understood why, for several days, they had been drilling, exercising and familiarizing themselves with the equipment. There had been no time for card games of late. The Bren guns had been unpacked and training had begun. Dismantling, assembling, loading, firing, cleaning and caring for their guns and rifles were drilled into the young soldiers. Drilled in because their lives, very definitely, were going to depend on it.

Just the sight of dry land was a relief to everyone aboard, and Fred thought Gander must have felt it too. Sitting at Fred’s feet he looked excited and kept looking back to Fred, perhaps asking, ‘Are we there now? Is this where I can smell the grass again and have a shower and a beer?’ Even with the sting of saltwater still on his face and its taste on his tongue, he seemed happy to see other ships and other signs of life beyond the confines of the Prince Rupert. Feeling the dog straining at the leash, Fred would probably have said, ‘Calm down now Gander, it won’t be long until you can get off this ship and sleep in a proper bed. You must not get too excited now. We still have things to do to keep you safe.’

As Fred accompanied Gander down the gangplank and onto the dockside he could feel the leash pull even harder. Gander had sensed freedom and it felt to Fred as if he was going to make a dash for it. If there was one thing Fred couldn’t afford to happen now, it was for Gander to break loose on the dockside. The mayhem it would cause would draw unnecessary attention to the dog and, after all they had been through, they were not going to let that happen. Also, if Gander dashed off now he would not have a clue where he was and there would be no time to locate him. Fred gripped the dog’s leash lower and stronger. He had already read the dog’s mind. He could tell that, to Gander, the expanse of water between the ship and the dockside must have looked like a giant bath. And Gander, who had really missed his showers and baths over the past months, just might take a dive. ‘Hey, don’t go thinking that water is a bath for you Gander,’ said Fred, who grabbed the dog tightly and pulled him back from the edge of the dock. He couldn’t help chuckling at the cheekiness of the big dog, who often acted like a mischievous child! ‘Buddy, if you could read the signs in the harbour telling of the cholera in there you would think twice about jumping in the water! Don’t worry, we’ll soon have you washed down and spruced up when we get to the barracks.’

The entire population of Kowloon turned out to greet the soldiers. And as he watched the sea of Union Jacks fluttering and heard the crowd cheering, Gander lifted his head and trotted proudly, in Fred’s capable hands, to take his place at the head of the Royal Rifles. It was a real carnival atmosphere as the residents of Hong Kong turned out to welcome the soldiers to the city. A pipe band from the Royal Scots Guards garrison was there to meet the troopships and lead the parade with Gander and the rest of ‘C’ Force proudly marching on dry land for the first time in four weeks. It was a proud moment for the men and their mascot dog. Gander was receiving lots of attention, especially from the children in the crowd. Fred heard later that a lot of the women and children through Gander was a bear so they held back at first, not knowing if he might eat them rather than lick them. Once they realized the big, hairy mascot was a mild-mannered dog they flocked to stroke and make friends with him. It had been some time since Gander had enjoyed the playful attention of children and he hadn’t forgotten how to be gentle with them or how to have fun.

The parade would take the men to Sham Shui Po Barracks, which were to be the new home and training ground for ‘C’ Force. The dazzling white of the barrack buildings and the lushness of the oriental gardens were a welcome sight to the men who, for several weeks, had only seen the gloomy interior of the troopship. It didn’t take long for Gander to sniff out the showers and remind Fred of his promise of a cooling wash. It was a promise Fred was happy to keep for his friend, who had already taken to lying on the cold shower-room floor to escape the sticky heat. Through the weeks of travelling the men had dreamed of swapping their hammocks for beds and here the relative comfort of a barrack cot caused great excitement. True to form, the men held back while Gander chose the bed he wanted and then everyone else made their choice from what was left. It was a good way to start but everyone knew that Gander would, in the end, make every bed his own and he was just too big to argue with!

Life within Sham Shui Po Barracks was more than comfortable and the local Chinese population were happy to shine shoes, make beds and run errands for a chance to earn a few Canadian dollars. (A boy who earned two dollars a week would be considered a ‘millionaire’.) The arrival of the Canadians was good for the local economy and for morale. No one really believed the Japanese would have the audacity to invade this Crown Colony but they felt safer, all the same, to have the increased military presence. What the locals probably didn’t realize was that in terms of numbers and equipment the island was still poorly defended. On paper there were now over 14,500 military personnel on the ground but this figure included several senior nursing staff, St John Ambulance representatives and the Hong Kong Mule Corps. When Kowloon welcomed the Royal Rifles and the Winnipeg Grenadiers the sight of the men in uniform reinforced the notion that Hong Kong was immune to invasion.

To a large extent, the life of the native people carried on as normal. It was the cool season and the mud flats close to the garrison were a hive of industry, with locals digging for clams. In the town their daily working lives continued, and the lively nightlife of theatres and bars hummed with the sound of laughter.

There was time for the men and Gander to familiarize themselves with the area and the equipment being delivered for the defence of the island. The Bren guns that would be used on the border with Japanese-occupied China were made ready, along with the rifles, shells and grenades. Constructing the dugouts, shelters and pillboxes that were to be the primary line of defence was a priority and, even in the stifling heat, three sessions of guard duty and two hours of morning parade became part of the daily routine. Gander accompanied the men on patrol and whenever Fred Kelly was on guard duty Gander was sure to follow. The big black dog enjoyed being on duty, as long as he could take a nap in the shade when the mood took him. And at night Gander would join the men in the pillboxes. They felt safer having Gander beside them.

Given the beautiful surroundings the men could not be blamed for sometimes thinking they might be spared the hostility of conflict. Gander adapted well to the life of a soldier dog on a pass. It was not unusual for him to accept a bottle of beer from one of his many friends and an invitation to shower in their washroom several times a day. He lounged on their cots, shared their rations, enjoyed being groomed and played with and generally treated as a VIP. Fred was never far from Gander’s side if he could help it. When the men were on parade or on a training session and Gander was not allowed to join them, it was Fred who made the dog comfortable while they were away. For Fred it was a little like having a child to care for, only this ‘child’ liked to hog the shower and drink beer out of a sink. He also liked to help out where he could and if there was a job that needed a dog to pull an ammunition cart, Gander got the job. Looking after Gander could have been a full-time job but Fred had it down to a fine art a little while after they were partnered in Canada. He could almost think ahead of the big dog and that came in useful, particularly after showers. Fred learnt that if you didn’t get out of the way fast enough Gander would shake and cover you in water, but you also had to be double-quick and catch him and dry him off before he headed out to roll in the dirt. As soon as Fred caught up with Gander the dog would stop Fred in his tracks by standing on his hind legs and planting his paws firmly on Fred’s shoulders.

His relationship with the local Chinese population was not so friendly. It started after the parade on the day Gander and his friends arrived. Fred and several Royal Rifles were walking with Gander near to the barracks when they were approached by two men who were paying particular interest to Gander. They seemed friendly and Fred thought he had no reason to be suspicious. But then one of the men started to run and Gander decided to follow him. The other man then ran after Gander. By the time Fred and his friends arrived on the scene it was obvious the men had tried to pull and push Gander through a hole in a fence and had only succeeded in scaring the dog. Immediately, Fred dashed in to take Gander back to the camp while the others made it clear to the two gentlemen that Gander was off limits. They never had trouble again. But the encounter was enough for Gander to decide on a dislike for the look and sound of the local people. He must have thought they would all try to drag him away. The word on the street was that the dog was destined for the dinner table, so it was good that his friends were soon on the scene to rescue him. From that day on, Gander treated all Chinese people with suspicion. He was automatically wary and if they approached him he would growl and bare his teeth.

For a while life in the barracks was calm and slightly unreal but by mid November (19 November according to a veteran’s account) news reached the Hong Kong garrison that the Japanese Army was only 23 miles away. In October the Japanese had moved over 20,000 troops in Southern China and a rumour that the Imperial Army was about to move several thousand more troops was sounding more like fact than mere scaremongering.

On Sunday 7 December 1941, the Japanese finally showed the world their military might with a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the Hawaiian port that was the headquarters of the US Pacific Fleet. In one morning 353 Japanese navy aircraft from six aircraft carriers sank or damaged many US warships, destroyed 188 aircraft on the ground and killed over 2,000 US service personnel and civilians. The attack brought the Americans into the Second World War, and the war in the East was on with a vengeance.

At first light the following day, the Japanese Army set its sights on Hong Kong. Gander’s war had begun.

General Maltby, Commander of the British Garrison in Hong Kong, who was now fully convinced of the Japanese intent to invade Hong Kong, gave the order to activate the garrison. Maltby had always feared that the Japanese would launch a seaborne attack, which explained the concentration of defences on the south of the island. The north side, facing the mainland, was less well fortified; this area included the Lye Mun Gap, which at its narrowest point was only 450 yards across. In an attempt to cover as much ground as possible the general decided to split his defences. West Brigade, comprising the Winnipeg Grenadiers, was commanded by Brigadier Lawson. Gander and the rest of ‘C’ Force formed part of East Brigade, under Brigadier Wallis. They were to be stationed in the Lye Mun region, with three company platoons and four reinforcement platoons. Scattered amongst them were small detachments of the Scots Guards, the Middlesex Regiment, the Hong Kong Defence Corps, and the Rajputs and Punjabis of the Indian Army.

After news broke of the attack on Pearl Harbor the men had been confined to barracks. As a result of a breakdown in communications, Gander and the men had no idea that the battle for Hong Kong had begun just hours after the Japanese attack. The first the British heard of it was when an Intelligence Officer assigned to monitoring the Japanese broadcasts picked up the following message at 4.45 a.m on 8 December 1941: