Protecting the War Dogs of World War I (1919)
World War I brought about a terrifying new weapon of war. In 1915, German troops used gas on Allied forces in the Ypres salient. Gas weaponry advanced quickly. Fortunately, so did gas mask technology. The National Geographic Society captured this photo in 1919. Every man and beast in a gas-exposed area had to wear a gas mask. The war dogs had a specially fitted mask. War dogs were pivotal for troops during World War I.
They were messengers, rat-catchers, equipment haulers, and were vital to First Aid efforts. The dogs had a talent for finding the wounded and dead on the battlefield. This photo shows a stretcher with a soldier being hauled away from the battlefield. War dogs were also vital for morale; dogs being dogs, they bonded with their soldiers and served as faithful companions on a harsh front, and soldiers would adopt them after the war.
