Tales of a soft-spot...

During the Korean War, Alice was bought in Guam for a couple of dollars and smuggled onto HMCS Cayuga by a Canadian sailor.

She is among a number of four-legged companions which gave soldiers a sense of comfort in hard times. The puppy was moved around the ship to 10 different locations to avoid the eyes of officers, but it was later revealed that the officers knew of her presence all along.

Creatures furry and feathered are taking centre stage at CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum. The exhibit, Creature Comforts, focuses on some of the navy's famous mascots and loyal companions.

More on the exhibit here.

The more things change, the more they stay the same, it seems:

This is Jimmy.



He’s a dog who lives with Canadian soldiers stationed in the Panjwaii district. Weeks ago, Canadian soldiers bought him from some locals as a mascot.

Jimmy isn’t a dangerous dog, he just isn’t domesticated. He lived as a half-stray, half-pet in a country where rocket attacks, armoured vehicles and roadside bombs are daily occurrences. Among the Canadian soldiers, he’s a cherished pet and everyone has a story about him.

However, Jimmy bites people. One of the soldiers I toured Panjwaii with found out the hard way as a newcomer. Jimmy clamped onto his upper arm like it was a t-bone steak. A nudge with a helmet ended the brief incident with no serious injuries.

Jimmy is the kind of dog who has learned his lessons well. I’m told he is the first one inside the shelter during a rocket attack, and doesn’t particularly enjoy the fact that humans follow close behind him. He’s a red-meat lover, but the soldiers I was with brought him a bag of kibble the size of a Honda Accord.

One soldier sent pictures of Jimmy and his story back to his parents in Northern Ontario. A nearby farmer there has offered to take the dog in as a way to help, so he may be a Canadian citizen before long.

The soldiers tell me that once Jimmy knows and recognizes you, he’s a great dog.

I took this picture from about ten feet away.

Loyal, fierce, and not particularly domesticated. The description applies to the soldiers as much as to the dog, I expect. And so a longstanding tradition continues...