{"id":39291,"date":"2018-08-10T13:09:40","date_gmt":"2018-08-10T12:09:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/?p=39291"},"modified":"2018-08-10T13:17:30","modified_gmt":"2018-08-10T12:17:30","slug":"sgt-stubby-an-unlikely-hero","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2018\/08\/sgt-stubby-an-unlikely-hero\/","title":{"rendered":"Sgt Stubby: An Unlikely Hero"},"content":{"rendered":"

‘Sgt Stubby: An Unlikely Hero’ is more than just a feel good film, it also provides some insight into a little known fact of the history of World War 1, the important role animals played on the battlefields in France. I took my two youngest sons, aged 12 and 15 to see the film, and it was a revelation to them to discover at the end, when we were shown photos of the real Robert Conroy and Stubby, that the film was based on factual events.<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Sgt Stubby – photo credit: the New Haven Register<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Stubby was a stray dog who befriended Robert Conroy, a “doughboy” on his way to basic training in New Haven, Connecticut. When Conroy gives him a treat, Stubby sees it as a ticket to a full belly, and finds his way into the army camp. Although threatened with expulsion on numerous occasions, Stubby shows his usefulness and intelligence and is allowed to stay. It’s intended he become the camp’s mascot, but Stubby has other ideas, and finds his way onto the ship which takes Conroy and his platoon to the battle fields of France. It’s there he proves his true value: during basic training he showed he was not afraid of bullets and loud noises. This made him perfect for rescuing injured soldiers on the field. Additionally, Stubby could hear bombs before humans, and, also minimised the vermin population in the trenches.<\/p>\n