Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last month I attended the war animals day, which is commemorated on 24 February. To commemorate it, we wear a purple poppy on that day. I attended the West Croydon and Kilkenny RSL, where we laid wreaths, remembering the animals that served in conflicts. The annual event is commemorated at the West Croydon and Kilkenny RSL. Among those who attended that event were my South Australia parliamentary colleagues Adrian Pederick, Reggie Martin, the Hon. Sarah Game and Frank Pangallo MLC, and RAAF dog handlers Brodie and Riley. The West Croydon and Kilkenny RSL has a memorial dedicated to a particular animal, a boxer-bulldog cross called Digger. He was a hero canine who served at Gallipoli, Pozieres and Ypres with his master, Sergeant James Martin, one of the first South Australians to volunteer for World War I.

The story goes that Sergeant James Harold Martin adopted him when he was training at Broadmeadows barracks before they went off to Egypt and then to Gallipoli. Digger was a courageous dog who jumped trenches with the first line, and he dodged bullets on the front lines in Gallipoli. He was a morale booster for the troops at Gallipoli. After the December 1915 evacuation, he went from Gallipoli to the front in Belgium—to Pozieres and Ypres. In fact, he was awarded a leather collar, with his name, and when he returned he was given medals for that collar for the campaigns he had served in, together with his handler, James Harold Martin.

Approximately eight million horses and mules died in World War I on both sides, and nearly a million dogs, all assisting troops in that war. Digger's hide has been preserved and is in the War Memorial at the moment. I'm trying to assist the West Croydon and Kilkenny RSL to have that hide brought to the RSL to be put on display, as they have adopted Digger as one of their members. They commemorate him every year. The family of Sergeant James Harold Martin, his descendants, are all members of the RSL, and I think it would be a great thing to have the hide of this dog that was an absolute hero on display, perhaps on the wall. Sometimes when we think about wars we forget about the animals that are involved. As I said, nearly eight million horses and a million dogs were lost on all sides in World War I, and on 24 February we commemorate those animals.