A Cat Mascot In WW1

Cat Mascots WW1

Cat Mascots WW1.

An endearing photograph of a Lewis gunner of the 6th Battalion, the York and Lancaster Regiment with the Regiment’s cat mascot, in a trench near Cambrin, 6th of February, 1918.

Interestingly, there were around 500,000 cats who served as mascots on the Western Front in WW1. Soldiers would share their rations with the cats.

As well as being a comfort for soldiers in a very horrible and dangerous environment, the cats helped keep the rat population down in the trenches.

Lest We Forget.

Photograph came from the Imperial War Museums. Image file number IWM Q 8463.

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