Canine Wartime Hero's Story Unfolds To Bathgate MP.

A remarkable story of a canine wartime hero has unfolded, detailing the wartime service of Roy the alsation dog.

An interesting story came to light recently, documenting the wartime antics of a Bathgate Conscript, named Roy. However this Conscript was no ordinary Soldier, he was the pet Alsatian dog of Jim Love, then of Waverley Street, Bathgate. Jim Love recounted the story of his brave dog in a recent visit to local MP Michael Connarty’s Bathgate office. Jim had enlisted Mr Connarty’s help in getting a duplicate certificate from the MOD showing Roy’s wartime service from his ‘conscription’ in 1939 to his ‘demob’ in 1945.

Roy was bred by the late John Arthur of Turner Street (Jim’s Uncle) and had been given to young Jim as a pet. It was 1939 and war was looming. After war was declared and rationing began, feeding the Love family was becoming hard, let alone a now fully grown Alsatian dog. So, when an appeal was heard on the Love family radiogram from the War Office asking for families to ‘donate’ their pet dogs for active wartime service, the tough decision was taken to send Roy off to do his bit for King and Country. Mrs Love wrote to the War Office describing Roy. Soon after, an Army Representative visited the Love’s home and took Jim’s pet off to be a so called ‘war dog’. It must have been heartbreaking for young Jim, but wartime meant everyone had to make sacrifices. Jim waved Roy goodbye, wondering if he would ever see Roy again.

As time passed occasional correspondence came from the War Office on Roy’s wartime activities. He started with basic training at the Guard Dog Training School in Woodfield, near Gloucester for his canine square bashing. After being declared A1 to serve, Roy was then on active service in occupied Europe. The Division Roy served with was known to parachute dogs into enemy areas. It is assumed that at some point poor Roy had to jump from a plane and parachute in with the rest of his squadron. The letters sent to the Love family were always vague, as giving exact locations could have been detrimental to the campaign to defeat the Nazis. As the war progressed and victory loomed in Europe, another letter arrived saying Roy was being deployed to the Far East to help in the fight against Hirohito’s forces. Once again Jim Love feared for the life of his beloved dog.

Happily by the Autumn of 1945 the war was over. The Love family received another letter from the War Office stating that Roy had survived the war and would be brought back to London and sent by train to his family in Bathgate. Jim was now a grown man of 18 and was overjoyed at the prospect of a reunion with his canine friend. Would Roy even remember him after six years of war service?Jim need not have worried. Roy arrived in the Guard’s van at Bathgate Station and greeted Jim with much tail wagging and excitement. He had returned to his master, having served his Country with distinction. Roy though had been injured during his service and was now minus half of one ear. How Roy was hurt will forever be a mystery, but better to have lost an ear than an eye or a limb Jim conceded.

Roy soon settled back into ‘regular’ life with the Love family. However, his working life was not over. For a short time Roy was used by the local Police as a patrol dog but he was deemed to be too big and strong for this role. Jim and Roy were parted again for another 3 years as Jim Love completed his National Service. Again Roy welcomed him back and the two best pals spent the next 8 years together with Roy living to the grand age of 18 – a human equivalent of 126 years!

Jim Love said, “I am glad to tell the story I am grateful to Michael Connarty MP for all his help in getting me a copy of Roy’s wartime service certificate which details his ‘loyal and faithful service’. I will display this certificate in my home with pride and will never forget my loyal hero dog Roy”. Quote from Jim Love, 42 Ramsay Crescent, Bathgate, West Lothian.

Michael Connarty MP said “ The contributions to the war effort came in many forms as the story of Jim Love’s dog Roy illustrates. It was great the Ministry of Defence were able to confirm Roy’s service and produce a certificate to commemorate the contribution of one of the many animals that were unsung heroes of World War 2”