Stuff You Missed in History Class27 Aug 2025

Six Impossible Episodes: The Dickin Medal

Maria Dickin wanted to raise the status of animals in society and bring more awareness to the work they were doing during World War II. The Dickin Medal was created to honor military working animals. This episode covers six of those recipients.

Research:

“Cats and Dogs.” Sabretache: The Official Journal of the Calgary Military Historical Society. August Extra #1. 2022. http://cmhs.ca/sabretache/Sabretache_2022_08_1.pdf
Classic Warbirds. “Pigeons at War - The RAF and the National Pigeon Service.” https://www.classicwarbirds.co.uk/articles/pigeons-at-war-the-raf-and-the-national-pigeon-service.php
Elidemir, Gulistan. “Maria Dickin and the history of the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals.” The Slice Whitechapel. 2/20/2022. https://whitechapellondon.co.uk/maria-dickin-pdsa-animal-charity-history/
Gardiner, Andrew. “The 'Dangerous' Women of Animal Welfare: How British Veterinary Medicine Went to the Dogs.” Social History of MedianeVol. 27, No. 3 pp. 466-487. https://archive.org/details/pubmed-PMC4109695/mode/1up
Harrison, Brian. “Dickin, Maria Elisabeth.” Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. 11/23/2004. https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/53789
Historic England. “Heroic War Animals: The History of the PDSA Dickin Medal.” 12/21/2023. https://heritagecalling.com/2023/12/21/heroic-animals-at-war-the-history-of-the-pdsa-dickin-medal/
Imperial War Museums. “What Was The Yangtze Incident?” https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/what-was-the-yangtze-incident
Kennedy, Maev. “Pet heroes honoured as cemetery reopens.” The Guardian. 12/14/2007. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2007/dec/14/art
Long, David. “The animals' VC : for gallantry and devotion : the PDSA Dickin Medal - inspiring stories of bravery and courage.” Preface. 2012.
Ministry of Defense. “Judy: The Dog who became a prisoner of war.” 7/24/2015. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/judy-the-dog-who-became-a-prisoner-of-war
National Archives. “Judy, the only dog registered as a prisoner of war.” https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-collection/stories/judy-the-only-dog-registered-as-a-prisoner-of-war/
National Archives. “Judy, the only dog registered as a prisoner of war.” https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-collection/stories/judy-the-only-dog-registered-as-a-prisoner-of-war/
Naval History. “HMS AMETHYST INCIDENT, YANGTSE RIVER, April to May 1949.” https://www.naval-history.net/WXLG-Amethyst1949.htm
“Rip.” https://www.pdsa.org.uk/media/5494/47646_dm-75_recipient-book_27_rip_digital.pdf
“Sergeant Reckless – PDSA Dickin Medal 68.” https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/animal-awards-programme/pdsa-dickin-medal/sergeant-reckless
“Simon - PDSA Dickin Medal 54.” https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/animal-awards-programme/pdsa-dickin-medal/simon
“Story of Maria Dickin and PDSA.” Via YouTube. 10/8/2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A1mMVDL4oo
“White Vision.” https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/animal-awards-programme/pdsa-dickin-medal/white-vision
“Winkie: DM 1.” https://www.pdsa.org.uk/media/5491/47646_dm-75_recipient-book_01_winkie_digital.pdf
Royal Pigeon Racing Association. “Pigeons In War.” https://www.rpra.org/pigeons-in-war/
S. Marine Corps Museum. “Sgt. Reckless - Marine War Horse.” https://www.usmcmuseum.com/uploads/6/0/3/6/60364049/sgt._reckless.pdf
Wooster, Martin Morse. “Dickin Medal awards, a great philanthropic initiative.” Philanthropy Daily. https://philanthropydaily.com/dickin-medal-awards-a-great-philanthropic-initiative/

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