The Role of Animals in World War I

Joseph Yukna, Co-Founder, Cape Cod Military Musuem

From the mighty elephant to the lowly slug, animals were used in amazing ways during the Great War. At the beginning of World War I, all of the combatants had cavalry units and horse-drawn artillery and supplies. Pigeons were much more reliable than early radios and easily severed telephone lines. More surprising is the uniformed baboon that drew a salary, stood guard duty and received a pension! Joseph Yukna began delving into this forgotten field of military history after learning the curious fact that the British Army tried to train seagulls to poop on U-boat periscopes. However, he has always been a history buff and became interested in the Cape’s military history while working as a Department of Defense police officer on Camp Edwards. He is the co-founder of the Cape Cod Military Museum in Bourne. This talk is not recommended for small children.