Anzac Animals: 20 Animal Friends from WWI and WWII

by Maria Gill, Marco Ivancic (Illustrator)

Who knew our soldiers had such a variety of animal companions in the two world wars? Apart from the beasts of burden that one might expect, such as horses, mules, donkeys and camels, many battalions had mascots as well: kangaroos, monkeys, dogs, chickens, tortoises, cats... all of whom provided comfort, companionship and a welcome distraction from the war.

64 pages, Hardcover

Published February 1, 2018

About the author

I write children's books in Auckland, New Zealand. I am a trained teacher and journalist and use those skills when writing children's non-fiction books.
My books include:
New Zealand Hall of Fame (Finalist in NZ Post Children's Book Awards, Children's Choice Award in non-fiction)
The Call of the Kokako
Rangitoto (Finalist in NZ Post Children's Book Awards)
Save Our Seas (Storylines Notable Book)
Eco-rangers Save the Planet
Dogs on the Job
Operation Nest Egg
Bird's-eye View
In July 2012, my new book 'Eruption! Discovering New Zealand Volcanoes' is being released at the National Library, Auckland, New Zealand.
When I'm not writing, I'm reading children's books, spending time with my family and the animals on our lifestyle block, and going for walks on beautiful beaches.

Reviews

[Bookrapt (Est. 1983) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully presented book, one to dip into for story after story of some of the animals who went to war – or found themselves in the various theatres of conflict during World War One and Two.

Maria Gill has uncovered many more than the handful of instances of animals at war we may have heard of or read about before. She has researched widely through earlier publications in both Australia and New Zealand, making this a truly ANZAC book of stories.

There are the mascots on Royal Navy ships, the horses who were shipped to war with cavalry units, animals who were 'adopted' after being found frightened or abandoned, and animals pressed into service.

Many of these animals provided company and comfort for the men so far from home, sometimes even providing warning of approaching danger. Others performed important military roles such as the dogs and birds who were used to carry messages, the camels, horses, donkeys and mules who were used to carry equipment and injured soldiers.

For those who want to learn more about World War One and Two and ANZAC involvement in these conflicts, there are fact sheets, timelines, a bibliography, a list of abbreviations and a glossary. An excellent resource as well as a collection of fascinating stories with accompanying illustrations that young and old, animal lover or not, will treasure.

Reviewed by Chris Wright (Bookrapt)

[Kate McAllan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is excellently researched, written and presented. I certainly learned a lot, and only hesitated about giving it a higher rating because I feel the tone is extremely grim. Some young readers will struggle with the content; many of the animals are needlessly put in terrible situations and most meet terrible ends. I completely understand that this was the grim reality, and that children shouldn't have history served with a sugar-coating. However, more strenuous efforts to make the moments of brightness shine through could have been employed. For instance, a bit of historical perspective about the role of animals in general during the first half of the twentieth century (many working animals in everyday life) might have helped to explain some of the attitudes towards animals that might surprise today's young readers. Another possibility can also be glimpsed at the end of the book, where it is noted that today army animals go through quarantine and come home. Perhaps a single double-page spread on this would have lifted the tone and provided some hope to the reader that things have improved. I'd suggest animal-loving kids might cope better with the challenging subject matter if they dip into this book rather than read it from beginning to end in one go.

[Big Bouncing Flea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Snippets of different animals lives when they went to war. Not all heroes are men. Very much a tear jerker. It is emotional to read how the animals affected the wars.