let loose the dogs of war!

[daveh]

I have just been reading Carell's Hitler's War on Russia and came across the details of the anti tank mine dogs used by the soviets. Does anyone know of any pics of these? the only one i have seen looks fake. Is there a link describing the history of this idea?

Were dogs (or any other animals) used for any other forms of attack?
How important were dogs in the role of messengers?
Were dogs used for mine detection in WW2 or to check for booby traps/ explosives?
How important were dogs in security measures eg controlling prisoners?

any help will be much appreciated
Thanks

[Juggernaut]

From what I remember the dogs were trained to smell like desiel, which is what the soviets used. But the germans used a diffrent type of fuel so the dogs were trained to smell the wrong kind so soviet dogs smelled soviet fuel and boom, and you get the point. This is from like a year ago of memory so I doubt it accurate.

[Phaethon]

Most web sources are about specific allied units and memorials to dogs in allied service. One good wide-ranging site is:

http://community-2.webtv.net/Hahn-50thAP-K9/K9History/

and specifically this page on axis and allied dogs including a soviet 'suicide dog':

http://community-2.webtv.net/Hahn-50thA ... History21/

Oh, and did you see the first picture in this thread in which Hitler is seen taking advice from his strategic planning dog...

http://www.thirdreichforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=20712



Cheers,

K.
--
Ken Cocker, London

[Christian Ankerstjerne]

You may find this image interresting:

Sd.Kfz. 261 in Russia. The wooden stickes were used when driving through deep mud. Note the equipment on the vehicle, the circular marking (anyone know what this is?), the G and the vehicle name next to the soldiers knee. The dog is allegedly a Soviet 'anti-tank dog', which has been 'liberated' by the Germans
5 October or November 1941

http://www.panzerphotos.dk

The main problem with the Russian bomb dogs was, that they were trained to associate the underside of a tank with food - only they were trained using Soviet tanks, so they preferred 'attacking' Soviet tanks rather than German ones...

Christian

[Daniel L]

I think that G means that it was part of Guderians panzer unit.

Best regards/ Daniel

[Christian Ankerstjerne]

Actually, I am more in doubt as to teh origin of the circle...

Christian