Caesar

A superb true story about the courage and loyalty of a dog and his handler in wartime.

When the New Zealand Rifle Brigade marched down Queen Street to board their transport ship to the Western Front‚ they were led by their mascot‚ a bulldog named Caesar. One of those waving him farewell was four-year-old Ida‚ whose favourite ribbon had been tied to Caesar’s collar by his handler‚ her Uncle Tom. Trained as a Red Cross dog‚ Caesar rescued wounded soldiers from the hell of no-man’s-land. Uncle Tom wrote home about their adventures to Ida‚ who eventually passed the stories on to her children and grandchildren.

Patricia Stroud‚ Ida’s daughter‚ tells the poignant story of an unsung Kiwi hero‚ and a little-known aspect of the First World War. First published for younger readers‚ Caesar’s story has been expanded to include Gallipoli and the Western Desert. With personal anecdotes and accounts‚ Caesar’s story can now be seen in the wider context of New Zealand’s contribution to the First World War.