Yesterday the postman delivered a package to our house. It was from the renowned auction house Noonans and I was very excited. Last week I had attended an auction of medals and militaria and was lucky enough to buy a couple of items, namely two First World War memorial scrolls - one to an officer from the King's Royal Rifle Corps and another commemorating a Private soldier from the Royal Lancaster Regiment. I also had a couple of Mentioned in Dispatches official certificates from the Second World War. All in all, I spent about eighty quid.
Why do I tell you this? Well, because at the very same auction another lot sold for considerably more money. It was a PDSA Dickin Medal for Gallantry awarded to a black and white collie-retriever named Rob. And it sold for a world record hammer price of £140,000.
The farm dog was volunteered for war service by his owners and he signed up on 19th May 1942. From September 1943 Rob served with the Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) and was the first War Dog to do so. With the regiment, he took part in operations in Italy, parachuting in on sabotage missions. In all, he undertook 20 parachute descents in North Africa and Italy.
The medal was sold with an extensive archive of material including an RSPCA Red Collar for Valour, a portrait painting, photographs, certificates, books and letters.
The PDSA Dickin Medal was instituted in 1943 in the United Kingdom by Maria Dickin (the founder of the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals - PDSA) to honour the work of animals during the Second World War. The medal has been awarded 71 times since inception.
Rob's medal was put up for sale by the son of his original owner and the proceeds of the sale will be used to sponsor students studying agriculture and farming including courses in animal welfare and behaviour.
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