Rats, The Dog Soldier

With subtitle or not?

It was in the 1970s that Northern Ireland was in the midst of what became known as the Troubles. These were a people divided along religious and political lines, and in the mix was a group known as the Irish Republican Army (IRA), who for years had campaigned for a united Ireland. With British soldiers sent in as peacemakers, the whole issue descended into civil war. Not very surprising because as soon as you divide a country or create division, the inevitable occurs. Palestine, Korea, Vietnam. Kashmir, even Germany before reunification, are prime examples. Ironically, as I write this, Kashmir is yet again at the centre of conflict.

Rats

Rats was a small crossbreed, probably a Corgi/Terrier cross, that suddenly appeared without any warning, and for some reason, he ensconced himself with the British army at Crossmaglen, known to the troops as XMG. His contribution to the morale of the troops and his willingness to accept danger led to him being given the service number D7/777. Various British regiments, including the Grenadier Guards, Welsh Guards and the Royal Marines, did a tour of duty at XMG. This was the stronghold of the IRA and was one of the most dangerous places for any soldier to serve. It was so dangerous that tours at this particular base were restricted to between 4 and 5 months. Just leaving the base for a patrol was a huge risk and the casualty rate was high, ambushes, snipers and booby traps were a constant threat. Soldiers just never knew from where the threat would come. An innocent-looking parked car could be full of explosives and wired to go off as the men passed.

Veteran

Despite the high turnover of regiments, Rats continued to stay in the barracks, where his presence was an invaluable moral booster. He accompanied the troops on their foot patrols where he was regularly shot at and was fire bombed, he even lost part of his tail as the result of an attack. He was also run over on one occasion, but as he had a habit of chasing vehicles that he failed to recognise, this was not a huge surprise. Given the opportunity, he also hitched a ride in any armoured car that was passing. On patrols, he was almost always the one who appeared to lead, which was the most dangerous place to be. So dangerous was the location that the barracks were supplied using helicopters, but despite there being a ban on him going up in a helicopter, Rats took every opportunity to get airborne, and his favourite trick was to leap out of a helicopter when it was about to land, dropping as much as twenty feet. He never appeared to suffer any ill effects from this activity. Having appeared numerous times on British television, his fame spread, not only in Britain but around the world.

The price of fame

In 1979, the army had to create a special department staffed by a number of troops to deal with the avalanche of cards and toys that were sent from all over the world. It is reported that every item of post received a reply and the envelope was sealed using a paw shaped emblem.

It should be pointed out that whilst Rats was a great comfort and a moral booster for the troops themselves, the media interest in Rats was a government propaganda coup that diverted the public’s attention away from the reality of war. None of this was the fault of Rats, who was continuing to live his rather unique lifestyle.

Despite the publicity regarding an IRA threat to the life of Rats, I cannot actually find any evidence that any such threat ever existed. Even the IRA, not exactly noted for their humanity, must have known that the deliberate killing of Rats would have been a public relations disaster. On the contrary, some IRA supporters actually considered Rats as an Irish patriot for leading the soldiers into danger.

It only goes to show that given any set of circumstances, it is possible to put any spin on any story.

The reality is probably best explained by Major Charles Woodrow, who gave a simple but brutally honest assessment when it came to Rats. “Men like having a dog around, that’s the first thing, particularly in a place like Armagh where men feel isolated and unwanted. And in addition, they are a good way to trigger a device, and I would rather lose a dog than a man.”

Retirement

With his body carrying the scars and metal fragments of countless confrontations, eventually it was decided that it was not safe for Rats to continue, and he was retired to an unknown location in England, where he was able to see out his final days in safety. Before retirement, he was presented with two medals and given a full dress parade. As retirement beckoned, it became apparent that Rats was the longest-serving “soldier” at Crossmeglen during the conflict, and I must admit that I’m not sure what Rats thought about being relocated. Life would have been somewhat sedate compared with Crossmaglen.