petrusplancius (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} petrusplancius) wrote in ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} vintagephoto,@ 2007-02-11 12:46:00 |
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A Goat who won a medal in the Great War
This is Taffy the Fourth, the regimental goat of the 2nd battalion of the Welch Regiment, who I think must the only goat who was ever awarded a military medal.
This is his entry on the card in the medal index. He accompanied his regiment over to France at the beginning of the First World War as part of the Brtish Expeditionary Force, and took part in the retreat from Mons and was present at the battle of Ypres and other engagements (though he would have been kept well behind the lines I imagine). It was therefore thought fitting that he should be awarded the campaign medal along with other members of the regiment. For the goat actually was a member of the regiment, ranking as a lance-corporal; the goats were included in the ration lists under the name of Gwilyn Jenkins (a typical Welsh name). Thet were tended by an NCO known as the goat-major, one of whom can be seen holding Taffy in the first photograph.
Here is a photograph of a goat on service with the Welch Regiment during the war. I am not sure if this is Taffy IV or a successor (Taffy died in 1915 according to the card).
Another regimental goat in the field, but not such a fine one one as Taffy; it evidently belonged to some other regiment. The mascots of the Welch were not just any sort of goat, but highly aristocratic long-haired white goats which were descended from some beasts that had been presented to Queen Victoria by the Shah of Persia.
A relatively modern picture of the goat of the Royal Regiment of Wales (to which the Welch Regiment now belongs by amalgamation), in which one can see how handsome these animals are. They are taught to kneel to the national anthem, and come from a herd owned by the Queen.
The Queen with a goat in 1989; this one actually belonged to the Royal Welch Fusiliers.
Back to our proper period with a picture from 1916. On the right is Lt Col Wilkie, the Commanding Officer of the Welch, who would die in that same year (I am not sure if he was killed in action). This goat was the mascot of the First Glamorgan Bantams, a part of the regiment that was made up of 'bantams', i.e. men who were below normal military height. (Hope all this goat lore is not too tiresome; I have a personal interest in it because my father served in the regiment.)
This is Taffy the Fourth, the regimental goat of the 2nd battalion of the Welch Regiment, who I think must the only goat who was ever awarded a military medal.
This is his entry on the card in the medal index. He accompanied his regiment over to France at the beginning of the First World War as part of the Brtish Expeditionary Force, and took part in the retreat from Mons and was present at the battle of Ypres and other engagements (though he would have been kept well behind the lines I imagine). It was therefore thought fitting that he should be awarded the campaign medal along with other members of the regiment. For the goat actually was a member of the regiment, ranking as a lance-corporal; the goats were included in the ration lists under the name of Gwilyn Jenkins (a typical Welsh name). Thet were tended by an NCO known as the goat-major, one of whom can be seen holding Taffy in the first photograph.
Here is a photograph of a goat on service with the Welch Regiment during the war. I am not sure if this is Taffy IV or a successor (Taffy died in 1915 according to the card).
Another regimental goat in the field, but not such a fine one one as Taffy; it evidently belonged to some other regiment. The mascots of the Welch were not just any sort of goat, but highly aristocratic long-haired white goats which were descended from some beasts that had been presented to Queen Victoria by the Shah of Persia.
A relatively modern picture of the goat of the Royal Regiment of Wales (to which the Welch Regiment now belongs by amalgamation), in which one can see how handsome these animals are. They are taught to kneel to the national anthem, and come from a herd owned by the Queen.
The Queen with a goat in 1989; this one actually belonged to the Royal Welch Fusiliers.
Back to our proper period with a picture from 1916. On the right is Lt Col Wilkie, the Commanding Officer of the Welch, who would die in that same year (I am not sure if he was killed in action). This goat was the mascot of the First Glamorgan Bantams, a part of the regiment that was made up of 'bantams', i.e. men who were below normal military height. (Hope all this goat lore is not too tiresome; I have a personal interest in it because my father served in the regiment.)
