August this year marks the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I, called “The Great War” or “The War to End All Wars.” Memoirs about this war are still being released today, like this one by Sergeant Stubby: how a stray dog and his best friend helped win World War I and stole the heart of a nation. Quite a big title, but it is exactly right about describing a remarkable dog and his soldier companion.
Bausum was able to capture the life of a stray American bull terrier that found a home with the Army’s Yankee Division at the onset of America’s entry into the war. The rich detail of Stubby’s “enlistment” and deployment to the battlefields and trenches in France with this convoy of men is substantial enough for the avid history buff as well as the casual reader, intent on a good story.
Stubby, we soon realize, became a veteran of 18 battles, helped to capture a German spy, and was wounded in action—-all while serving as a loyal companion to his owner, J. Robert Conroy. With the mustard gas in use by the German armies at the time, Stubby warned soldiers about the threat of the gas, as he seemed to know when a threat was imminent. The dog’s calming presence helped many a wounded soldier waiting in the trenches.
I became intrigued by this little dog, whose body was preserved after death and placed in the Stubby: brave soldier dog (actually published in 1978).
To complete her story, Ann Bausum, in conjunction with National Geographic Kids, released a young person’s historical feature Stubby The War Dog: the true story of World War I’s Bravest Dog earlier this year. The full color volume has outstanding photographs never before contained in a single volume. This book is actually my favorite, as Stubby becomes real in the pages. How can you not love a dog that was taught to salute, with his right paw to his right eyebrow?
J. Robert Conroy, Stubby’s owner, put it best: “It seemed as though he [Stubby] had made up his mind to go, regardless of consequences, and his enthusiasm never wavered.” [p. 27]
I leave you with this splendid photo of Stubby, 
post-war and happy to be stateside. I hope you have the chance to read a little more of World War I history, and discover something you did not know before!
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