The story of India's most celebrated animal war heroes

From armoured camels to spy squirrels, war heroes come in all shapes and sizes. Neha Mishra recounts the stories of some of India's most celebrated animals

Armed forces across the globe have employed animals through the ages — a practice as old as warfare itself. Though modernisation has noticeably reduced the army’s requirement of animals and today’s mounted troops ride in armoured vehicles rather than on horseback, these advancements have not made animals obsolete in modern warfare. In times of trouble, like soldiers, animals too have put their best foot, paw, fin, flipper or wing forward to answer the call of duty.

Mules in the Indian army

Pedongi, the mule who outsmarted the enemy

A sketch of Pedongi, the mule that became an army batallion mascot

She braved bullets and navigated battle trenches to prove her mettle. Only this astute warrior was a mule. Hoof No 15328, “Pedongi” was greatly appreciated for numerous deeds, one of which encapsulates an intriguing tale of valour. Named after Pedong, a small town in Kalimpong district of West Bengal, she was the oldest Mountain Artillery mule. In the armed forces, names are a privilege reserved only for horses and dogs, and are rarely given to mules, who are identified by their hoof numbers. But Pedongi, a bay mare of Spanish breed, earned the honour for her unflinching dedication to the men in uniform.

During the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war, which was fought from December 3 to December 16, an animal transport column that included Pedongi was captured by Pakistani forces. A fortnight later, Pedongi managed to escape from her captors. Carrying boxes of Pakistani ammunition on her back, the exhausted animal made her way back to the Indian Army outpost. Impressed by her loyalty and resourcefulness, the animal transport battalion commander reported the matter to his seniors who recommended a citation of bravery for the animal. Pedongi was also felicitated with a ceremonial velvet rug by S F Rodrigues, former chief of army staff, in December 1992.

Pedongi enjoys the distinction of having her name in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the longest-serving mule in the Indian Army. She performed over 32 years of active service till her death on March 25, 1998. Usually army mules remain in service for 18 to 20 years. And earlier this year, a new lounge at the officers’ mess of the Central Army Service Corps in Delhi cantonment was named the “Pedongi Lounge” in her honour.

 

While still in service, Pedongi became an army battalion mascot. Mascots are awarded the same benefits as a soldier. They receive a regimental number and an honorary rank, and are cared for at public expense.

Mansi, the Valley conflict warrior

Labrador 'Mansi' and her handler Bashir Ahmed War. Photo: Indian Defence News

Several canine battalions have excelled in a number of military missions, receiving honours such as Shaurya Chakras, Sena Medals and Chief of the Army Staff commendation cards. The “Mention of Despatches” certificate is the highest gallantry award presented to army dogs.

On a late evening in August 2015, “Mansi”, a four-year-old Labrador and a member of the army’s tracker dog unit, became one of the first canines to be chosen for this war honour, posthumously.

 Mansi and her handler, Bashir Ahmed War, took on a group of heavily-armed infiltrators from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir along the Line of Control in the Tangdhar area of Srinagar. The duo intuited the movement of the terrorists and, in a bid to foil the infiltration, began attacking the intruders relentlessly. Mansi was shot at with an enemy bullet, which provoked her handler to avenge the death of his canine pal. He started firing ferociously, besides calling for reinforcement. But he too soon fell to the counterstrikes.

Labrador Mansi has since become the mascot of the unit. The Indian army extolled the exemplary courage shown by the Labrador and her handler. Mansi’s name later appeared in the Gazette of India. War, too, was posthumously awarded the Sena Medal. 

ROCKET, the Pathankot champ
 

A Belgian Malinois Labrador, the same breed as 'Rocket'

Another astonishing tale of doggedness is that of a four-legged hero of the Belgian Malinois breed. The three-year-old Labrador called “Rocket”, a member of the K-9 assault dogs unit of the National Security Guard which specialised in detecting human presence and improvised explosive devices, played a life-saving role during a counter-terrorist operations at the Pathankot Indian Air Force airbase in January 2016.

 A group of Jaish-e-Mohammad militants set the airbase on fire, triggering 53 explosions. It was impossible for the “Black Cat” commandos to enter the burning structure. Seven soldiers lost their lives in the blaze. That’s when Rocket was sent into an airmen’s billet to gather intelligence and determine whether the terrorists inside were still alive.

The canine returned with a burnt pouch which belonged to one of the Fidayeen insurgents. It helped the commandos confirm the presence of militants inside the base. During the anti-insurgency operation, Rocket suffered severe burn injuries on his paw and forehead while searching for the terrorists but kept following the directions of the men in uniform. The Labrador also attacked a terrorist, thus obstructing his attempt to harm the commandos.

  

The raw courage that the agile four-legged trekker exhibited prompted the senior officials to award him with the Chief of Army Staff recommendation for his obedience to command.

REX, an immortal hound

'Rex' carrying an assault rifle

A golden Labrador, fondly called “Rex”, was born and trained at the Indian Army’s Remount and Veterinary Corps (RVC) Centre and School in Meerut. He served with the 14 Army Dog Unit in Jammu and Kashmir where he helped troops trail and track militants. In March 1995, the canine, while patrolling with the Rashtriya Rifles troops in the jungles of Badrot, hunted down a terrorist injured in an encounter. The chase continued for four hours amidst heavy militant firing. Rex succeeded in recovering one AK-56 rifle and a bag with grenades.

Three years later, in 1998, while guarding the area of Gulgandhar, security forces killed two militants and injured one, who managed to escape. Rex picked up his odour and swiftly traced the wounded militant to his refuge where he had succumbed to his injuries.

Rex also took part in an avalanche rescue operation with the quick reaction team of 25 Rashtriya Rifles near Rajouri district. Without any official training in this field, the sniffer found the bodies of three militants buried six feet under snow. Rex also located three hideouts with a collection of ammunition, wireless sets and arms. The furry braveheart was awarded the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief’s commendation card in 1999.

Rex succumbed to abdominal wounds that he received during a militant encounter operation in 1999.

Dot and Misha, the agile canines 

Sniffer dogs 'Dot' and 'Misha' on a resue mission in the Siachen

Last year, Lance Naik Hanumanthappa was pulled out after six days of being buried under 30 feet of ice in the Siachen glacier. Among the team that rescued him were “Dot” and “Misha”, two sniffer dogs of the armed forces, who played a critical part in the search operation that included over 200 army personnel. It was they who sniffed out the soldier’s presence under the ice sheet. (Hanumanthappa later died at the military Hospital in New Delhi due to multiple organ failure.)

 Besides forewarning soldiers of environmental dangers, Dot and Misha also provided navigational assistance for locating missing troops. They were tapping into the most probable location of the missing soldier, Hanumanthappa, which catalysed the army personnel into action.

 The agile canines have for years displayed extraordinary intelligence and aided many avalanche rescue missions, for which they, along with their trainers, have been awarded medals of honours including the Chief of Army Staff commendation card and the Major General R N Kacker Trophy.