recently, i read of 1880's bloody battle of maiwand, pitting british + indian forces against afghan soldiers near kandahar.
the afghans won, and nearly 4,000 perished.
the 66th regiment of foot (which britishbattles.com calls one of
"the most massacred of britian's regiments") made the final stand for england, with only eleven members of the regiment left at the end.
accompanying the 66th in battle, and surviving alongside the eleven, was a small dog called bobbie. the fighting had left him badly wounded in the back + neck + separated from his regiment. nevertheless, he journeyed 50 miles to kandahar over the course of several days to rejoin them in their retreat.
upon returning to england, bobbie + the members of the 66th were awarded the afghan war campaign medal by her majesty queen victoria.
britain's decorated bobbie was hit and killed by a hansom cab a mere eighteen months later.
through the wonders of the taxidermic arts, bobbie today resides in reading's regimental museum, a green + red ribbon encircling his neck and holding in place his afghan war medal for all posterity.
