This is probably the most important Dickin Medal for Gallantry to be sold at auction.
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Rob completed 20 parachute jumps in World War II after he was volunteered to help with the war effort by his owners who lived in Shropshire, UK. Rob was sent to North Africa to join the SAS.
Rob’s medal was put up for auction by the son, Basil Bayne, of Rob’s owner who is obviously delighted with the sale price which appears to me to be approaching the sale price of medals given to humans for their gallantry in the war. If that’s true, I am pleased because it hints at an equality between animals and humans which I have always believed should exist.
It is said that Rob saved human lives because of his work behind enemy lines. The Dickin Medal is the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross (VC) for humans and is therefore a very rare medal. Rob’s medal was sold last Wednesday along with other memorabilia such as books, photos and a collar.
The sale was conducted by auctioneers Noonans of Mayfair in London. Unsurprisingly, it broke the previous world record for a Dickin Medal awarded to a pigeon for gallantry during D- Day.
Rob was a black-and-white collie-retriever. He had been bought from a local farmer for five shillings in old British money. He became a treasured family pet on Basil Bayne’s parents’ smallholding in Tetchill, England.
During the war, Rob’s owners picked up a radio appeal for dogs. The request was for dogs to be submitted to the war effort to guard duty. They volunteered him in 1942.
Rob became a member of the SAS performing guard duty in protecting ammunition dumps. He was then trained to carry out parachute jumps. He was given a harness which had been borrowed from US troops who were nearby trialling jumps with dogs. He seemed to enjoy parachuting and he kept quiet in contrast to the American dogs who apparently often barked all the way down!
You don’t want dogs barking when parachuting behind enemy lines secretively! Rob was therefore a perfect candidate and he stayed with the SAS in North Africa performing 20 jumps.
He had an SAS handler who said that on three occasions Rob’s presence was critical to their survival. In fact, he said that they would not have survived without Rob, and it is for this reason that he was awarded the Dickin Medal.
The Dickin Medal is the most distinguished and most recognised award for animal gallantry in the world. It was established in 1943 by the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) and is still in place today. It was conceived by Maria Dickin. It’s been awarded 74 times in all. Horses, pigeons and dogs and a very well-known cat, Simon, have received the award.
Mr Bayne was stunned by the auction price. He said, “I can’t believe the price, but I am so delighted that Rob’s story and legacy is held in such high respect and that the important role that him and many other animals have played in conflict is being recognised”.
In a nice touch, the proceedings will be given to the Taylor McNally Foundation, a charity which educates and trains on poultry husbandry. The auctioneer stated that: “We believe this to be the most important Dickin Medal to ever be sold at auction”.
Memorial to English pointer dog, Judy, who was a prisoner of war
