The highly emotive P.D.S.A. Dickin Medal for Gallantry – “The Animals' V.C.” – and...

The highly emotive P.D.S.A. Dickin Medal for Gallantry – “The Animals’ V.C.” – and Canine Valour Bronze Cross awarded to Judy, a boxer bitch, for thwarting a night-time terrorist attack on British officers in Palestine, during which she protected and undoubtedly saved the life of her severely wounded brother Punch, at risk to her own life, on 5 August 1946 People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals Dickin Medal for Gallantry, bronze, the reverse inscribed, ‘Judy, Army H.Q. Palestine 5-8-46 AFMC. 1195 No. 44’, pierced with ring suspension, on its original investiture riband; together with a brass cross, 48mm, the obverse inscribed ‘For Canine Valour 5.8.46’, the reverse inscribed ‘Judy’, with ring suspension, good very fine and better (2) £14,000-£18,000 --- Provenance: Christie’s, July 1983; Strong Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, May 2011. Instituted by Maria Dickin, C.B.E., the founder of the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals, in 1943, the Dickin Medal has since been awarded on 75 occasions - 32 of them going to pigeons, 38 to dogs, 4 to horses, and 1 to a cat. The vast majority (and all those awards to pigeons) were granted in respect of acts of bravery in the Second World War, but more recently a number of awards have been made to Arms and Explosives Search Dogs of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps for their gallantry in Iraq and Afghanistan. P.D.S.A. Dickin Medals for Gallantry awarded to both Judy and her brother Punch in December 1946. The official citation, as recorded on the accompanying P.D.S.A. (The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals) and A.F.M.C. (Allied Forces Mascot Club) certificate states: ‘For beating off a terrorist attack on British Officers at risk of her own life while serving with Army H.Q. Palestine, on August 5th 1946. Signed M. E. Dickin, Founder.’ Judy, a Boxer Bitch, along with her brother Punch, a Boxer Dog, both belonged to Lieutenant-Colonel A. H. K. Campbell, the Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Jerusalem Military Court, and Lieutenant-Colonel H. G. G. Niven, the Adjutant General, who shared a house in a Jerusalem suburb. On the evening of 5 August 1946, at about half past ten, the two officers were relaxing at home with their two dogs. The front door was open. All was quiet and they had no suspicion that any danger was threatening them. Suddenly the dogs became aware of intruders within the compound. Racing into the darkness and barking furiously, they were met with a burst of sub-machine gun fire from one or possibly two terrorists within the barb-wire protected perimeter. Apparently the intruders were stealthily creeping towards the house with the intent to kill the officers. The barking and gunfire, alerted the officers, thwarted the attack and thus saved their lives. Police and military parties arrived and, following a trail of blood, found the seriously wounded Punch. He had been hit four times and lay in a pool of blood, apparently dying. His sister, Judy, also covered in blood, stood protectively over him. The Superintendent of the P.D.S.A. Dispensary in Jerusalem was summoned; travelling at night after curfew, with sentries ready to open fire at the slightest alarm, was not a quick or easy journey, but he arrived safely. He found that Punch had two serious wounds to his throat, as well as further wounds to his skull and groin; he had lost about three-quarters of a pint of blood and had been laid on a blanket and made as comfortable to die in peace, as he did not appear to have a chance of recovery. The Superintendent at once got busy, treating Punch’s wounds and giving him injections, and to his joy the dog responded to the treatment. He then turned his attention to Judy. She was covered in blood, but after the Superintendent had cleaning her she was found to be unwounded except for a long bullet graze to her back. It was obvious that she must have covered Punch protectively with her body when he fell, and having stemmed the flow was smothered with his blood. The following morning nine expended rounds were found in the garden. Both dogs made a full recovery from their wounds, and for their great gallantry in protecting their masters were both awarded the P.D.S.A. Dickin Medal, ‘the Animals’ V.C.’. Returning to the U.K., and after undergoing quarantine, both dogs were presented with their Dickin Medals during the Royal Tournament at Olympia on 14 June 1947. Sold with the original P.D.S.A. bestowal document; two photographs of Judy; and copied research.