Animal Version of Victoria Cross Medal is Sold for World Record Sum
A PDSA Dickin Medal – the animals’ Victoria Cross – awarded to a World War II search dog during the London Blitz, has today (24 April 2009) sold at auction for the record sum of £24,250.
The medal was awarded to Rip in July 1945 for “Locating many air raid victims during the Blitz of 1940”.
Medal specialists Spink of London dropped the gavel on lot 1229 after fierce bidding for the large bonze medal saw it exceed its estimated catalogue price by over £14,000. The highest price previously recorded for a PDSA Dickin Medal at auction was £23,000 for the medal presented to Simon, ship’s cat on the HMS Amethyst.
Speaking about the sale, PDSA Corporate PR Manager Caroline Garbett said: “All of the PDSA Dickin Medals are very special items and their real value is in the story of the animal recipient. Rip was a life-saving dog, locating people buried in the ruins of the Blitz. To the people he saved and their families he was a true hero. This Medal is a testament to his bravery in the face of danger.”
Scruffy stray terrier Rip was adopted by Mr E King, an Air Raid Precaution Warden (A.R.P.) on duty in Poplar, East London. Rip was soon adopted as the team’s mascot and unofficial search dog. He was not trained for the work but began digging instinctively, pausing to let Mr King know when he had located a victim in the rubble. Many people owed their lives to Rip and his dogged determination.
Rip was not a young dog when he began his search and rescue career, although he served throughout the five years of the war. In 1946 he became ill and unfortunately did not survive. He was buried in the PDSA Animal cemetery in Ilford, North London and is one of 12 PDSA Dickin Medal recipients buried there – all animal heroes of WWII.
Rip is among 62 animals to have received the PDSA Dickin Medal, between 1943 and 2007. The other recipients are 32 Second World War messenger pigeons, three horses, 26 dogs and one cat, Simon the ship’s mascot of HMS Amethyst during the Yangtze Incident. Some of those dogs honoured have been recognised for bravery while on duty with British forces in Afghanistan and Iraq during more recent conflicts.
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