Alsatian puppy discovered in war-torn France goes on to save life of Czech airman master and fly on active combat missions

The Dickin Medal (the animal equivalent of the VC) was awarded to the Alsatian called Antis, the famous 'Dog of War' who was discovered as a starving puppy by the Czech Airman Vaclav Bozdech while hiding from German search parties after being shot down over 'No-Man's Land'. He escaped with his handler into France, taking to the skies with the French Airforce until forced to flee to Britain where dog and master flew together in active combat.

The Dickin medal is expected to reach £30,000-40,000 and is for sale on December 4th, 2024, through Morton and Eden, coin and medal auctioneers. David Kirk from Morton and Eden, said of the medal, 'This is a rare and important medal with an extraordinary story behind it. Dickin medals are scarce to the market and we are very pleased to be selling this one'.

One of just 75 awards of its kind, the citation for this medal reads: 'For outstanding courage, devotion to duty and lifesaving on several occasions while serving in England and overseas with the RAF and the French Airforce from 1939 - 1945.'

Bozdech discovered Antis as a puppy in an empty farmhouse and originally planned to kill him in case he gave their location away. Unable to do this, he put him in his flying jacket instead. Determined to fight the Nazis, Bozdech fought briefly with the French Foreign Legion before being seconded to the French Air Force. Antis sat calmly for hours at his master's feet in the rear gun turret of his aircraft.

Forced to leave France, Bozdech and Antis were shot down in their first attempt to make for Britain in a private aircraft, they were briefly held as P.O.W.s until the ship of their Italian captors was torpedoed by a British destroyer, and pulled from the sea. Travelling clandestinely to Britain in the hold of the passenger ships Northmoor and Neuralia, Bozdech joined No. 311 (Czechoslovakia) Squadron, Royal Air Force, based as Speke, where Antis soon became the mascot of this famous squadron.

With an uncanny knack of hearing the approach of German bombing raids, far sooner than through the use of modern technical equipment, in the aftermath of a severe air raid Antis assisted during the search and rescue of survivors. Returning to 'normal duties', Antis went on to take part in 32 combat missions with his master, Bozdech - the only dog in WW2 to accompany an R.A.F. pilot on active combat missions.

Being three times wounded in action by shrapnel in the skies over Kiel and Hannover, Antis later saved the life of his master one last time, by assisting him during his escape from Communist Czechoslovakia in 1948, alerting Bozdech to the presence of search parties, and attacking and pinning down an armed border guard.

The two returned to Britain, where Antis received his Dickin Medal from Field-Marshal Earl Wavell on 28 January, 1949 - the first 'foreign-born' dog to receive it. Antis finally died in 1953 and is buried in Essex.

For more information, or to bid, see:
https://www.mortonandeden.com/