An estimated 500,000 cats served in World War I.
Aside from doing rodent patrol, WWI cats also detected gas. This was, after all, the first war that saw the large-scale use of chemical warfare.
The Brits “drafted” 500 felines for this particular duty — which was a canary-in-a-coal-mine mission because cats succumbed much more quickly to the fumes than humans did.
One cat saved a soldier’s life in a more dramatic fashion. Pitouchi had been born in the trenches. His mother had been killed when he was a kitten, and he’d been adopted by a Belgian soldier, Lt. Lekeux.
Lekeux was hiding in a shell hole, sketching the enemy’s artillery works. A German soldier on patrol spotted him and called out to his comrades.
Spooked by the sound, Pitouchi “jumped out of the hole onto a piece of timber,” writes Susan Bulanda in her book Soldiers in Fur and Feathers. The Germans “fired two shots at Pitouchi. However, as frightened as he was, Pitouchi was not hit, and he jumped back into the hole with his beloved Lekeux.”
The
12 views
368
87
6 months ago 00:01:10 1
The CHANEL Iconic Handbag Campaign
6 months ago 00:04:13 1
Mozart - Rondo Alla Turca (Metal Version)
6 months ago 00:04:50 1
Rockets - In the Black Hole (D.N’Elpin & ) cover tribute -2023
6 months ago 00:08:55 1
Shout, Sister, Shout! Sister Rosetta Tharpe
6 months ago 00:03:56 1
John Newman - Love Me Again
6 months ago 00:05:09 1
Linkin Park - One More Light Live (Chris Cornell Tribute)
6 months ago 00:10:11 1
Volvo 850R ITB’d Naturally-Aspirated BTCC Build | American Tuned ft. Rob Dahm
6 months ago 00:05:30 1
Neytiri saves Jake (Ending Scene) - AVATAR (4k Movie Clip)
6 months ago 00:02:21 1
Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen | DUNE
6 months ago 00:04:32 1
Beth Hart - Damn your eyes, with lyrics
6 months ago 00:16:01 1
Демка в союзники
6 months ago 00:00:58 1
ПОЧЕМУ ВСЕ ВОКРУГ КОЗЛЫ? #панченко #взглядпанченко
6 months ago 00:51:02 1
Led Zeppelin Live Montreal Forum February 6 1975
6 months ago 00:04:40 1
A Tribute to Treasure Planet - 15 Years on...
6 months ago 00:03:47 1
Reggae Kiss - Tears Are Falling feat. Bruce Kulick
6 months ago 00:03:30 1
𝘽𝘼𝙏𝙏𝙇𝙀𝘾𝙍𝙔 | Samurai Champloo
6 months ago 00:06:03 1
STANLEY / TOMMY TURRENTINE TRIBUTE 2024
6 months ago 00:12:55 1
Когда и почему Россия уйдет с Байконура
6 months ago 00:11:10 1
Playthrough | AstroLab | ARTURIA
6 months ago 00:05:33 1
Agnetha Faltskog - Video Tribute to the mega talented beautiful Agnetha -
6 months ago 00:00:00 1
«Ангара-А5» вторая попытка первого старта с космодрома Восточный