Towards the end of October 1918 I was out on patrol in front of Tournai
on a dark, windy night. I had a Cockney private with me, and we were
some distance from our lines when we heard a dog barking. All at once,
before I could stop him, the Cockney whistled it.
I threw the Cockney down and dropped myself. A German Verey light went
up--followed by a hail of machine-gun bullets in our direction. As the
light spread out, we saw the dog fastened to a German machine-gun! We
lay very still, and presently, when things had quietened down, we slid
cautiously backwards until it was safe to get up.
All the Cockney said was, "Crikey, corp, I had the wind up. A blinkin'
good job that there dawg was chained up. Why? 'Cause 'e might 'ave
bitten us. I allus was afeard o' dawgs."--_J. Milsun (late 1/5th
Battn., The King's Own 55th Div.), 31 Collingwood Road, Lexden,
Colchester._