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Pic:   ImperialWarMuseum/BNPS<br />
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Ricky, a Welsh Sheepdog, suffered head injuries and damaged hearing after a mine exploded killing his commander, but he managed to help the remaining men to safety.<br />
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The remarkable stories of the 71 heroic animals who have received the pet equivalent of the Victoria Cross are told in a new book.<br />
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They include a dog who dragged his drowning handler to safety in a torrent of shells and machine gun fire and a carrier pigeon which flew 120 miles to raise the alarm for a bomber crew who had crashed into the sea.<br />
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Their courageous acts, and others involving dogs, cats, pigeons and horses, feature in history teacher Philip Hawthorne's book, The Animal Victoria Cross: The Dickin Medal.