“What Do We Call Him?”
Despite animal mascots being around for centuries, WWI mascots were downright bizarre. Soldiers of the Great War would lose their minds and find themselves leashing up any animal they saw on the front, and if they could not put it to work, they would at least use it for some cheer.
Animals In War 1914 – 1918, Nancy, the springbok mascot of the 4th South African Regiment, in Delville Wood, 17 February 1918. Photo by 2nd Lt. T K Aitken/ Imperial War Museums via Getty Images
This African Impala somehow found itself on an empty German Battlefield, being domesticated by a Scottish infantry soldier. These morale-boosting mascots would be fed more than their soldier comrades who cared more about keeping their tradition alive! Okay, so now that we had some fun, let’s get into the details of what it takes for an animal to serve the front!