Veronika Wild

  This memorial to Australian War Dogs is on a quiet corner of the Derwent in Hobart I didn't write anything this ANZAC day - our commemorative day for the War Dead, this year, but the other day while walking along the river with a friend and her dog, I came across a touching memorial for the dogs used by Australian soldiers in wartime and I thought they and the other animals which also served - whether they wanted to or not, deserved a mention too. Dogs particularly, served in numerous roles. Here are some of their stories along with those of some of our other furred, feathered and even finned brothers (and sisters) in arms.   World War I  Rescue Dogs Dogs have been used to rescue wounded soldiers since the late C19th when one Jean Burgartz, a German, began training 'mercy dogs' (Sanitätshunde) to go into battlefields to seek out wounded soldiers, bring first aid supplies and comfort the dying. If their wounds were too severe, they would take back a piece of ...

Health Warning: I was lucky enough to be in Mongolia at the height of its brief and glorious summer and encountered nothing but clear skies and friendly people. Since then however, I have heard some disturbing stories about foreign workers who have been bashed, robbed and left to freeze in the snow, so it is probably not a good idea to go by yourself. City Centre Ulaan Bataarhengis Khan The worst thing that happened to me apart from having to have cold water showers because they turn the heat off in summer, was that my Australian Travelex cards did not work. This wasn't all bad, as many people took me under their wing. Instead of hiring a car and driver as most tourists do, I was squished into one of the many mini vans that travel precariously all over the country. The 'roads' are non existent in many places, with most vehicles travelling on braided tracks beside the road to avoid broken tarmac and treacherous pot holes. Along the way, people are dropped off at isolated ge...