Page 66 - K9News_Issue12_July2020

JUDY

The only dog to be officially registered as a
Prisoner of War, Judy, a pure-bred, liver-and-
white English Pointer, was gifted to the Royal
Navy as ship’s mascot and began her Naval
career aboard HMS Gnat and then her sister
ship the river gunboat, HMS Grasshopper. By
some miracle Judy survived enemy attacks on
both ships and then, in February 1942, as she
accompanied the survivors of the Grasshopper
on their daring trek to safety she was taken
prisoner and began a three-year sentence as
a Japanese Prisoner of War in the steaming
jungles of Sumatra.
Hiding Judy under a pile of rice sacks, the men
assured her safe transfer to the prison camp in
Medan. It was then August 1942 and like the
men she gave comfort and hope to, she was
skin and bone but determined to survive. It
was at Medan that Judy came face-to-face with
Leading Aircraftsman Frank Williams. Frank
which helped to maintain morale among her
offered her rice from his own rations and this
fellow prisoners and also saving many lives
lead to Frank becoming her master and life-long
through her intelligence and watchfulness.”
companion.
The presentation took place at the Returned
Although Victory over Japan (VJ Day) was Prisoner of War Association headquarters in
celebrated on 15 August 1945, news of peace London where the Chairman of the Association,
in the Pacific was slow to reach the prisoners Viscount Tarbat, referred to Judy’s determination
of war in Sumatra. Frank and the men Judy to protect Frank and other prisoners and so
had survived the camps with, smuggled her on awarded her a life membership – a first for a
board the troopship home. After a 6 month stay dog. Once again Frank said he owed his life to
in quarantine, during which time Frank visited the ‘old girl’ – many of the men said the same.
her every week, on the day of Judy’s release the
On 22 July 1946 Frank and Judy were de-
world’s press was ready and waiting to welcome
mobbed from the RAF. She travelled with Frank
home a hero dog.
to start a new life with him in East Africa where
Judy was awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal she lived out the rest of her days until on the
– the animal’s Victoria cross – in May 1946. 17th February 1950 when, due to illness, Frank
Her citation reads: “For magnificent courage made the agonising decision to have Judy put
and endurance in Japanese prison camps, painlessly to sleep.

Read the Hero dogs full stories at:
nmwdm.org.uk/hero-dogs

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K9 NEWS DIGITAL / JULY 2020