Dog Soldiers: Love, loyalty and sacrifice on the front line

by Isabel George

Overview

Dog Soldiers tells the story of two brave young ‘dog soldiers’ (Army bomb dog handlers), killed in action in Afghanistan with their dogs by their side, through the inspirational words of their mothers.Lance Corporal Kenneth Rowe and Lance Corporal Liam Tasker were both dog lovers from boyhood and went on to do the job they had always wanted to do. Through the soldiers’ mothers – Lyn Rowe and Jane Duffy – the book will take the reader on a journey and a celebration of the young men’s lives that begins with the two young boys growing up and fulfilling their dream to serve Queen and country as Army dog handlers – Ken Rowe with his dog, Sasha, and Liam Tasker with his canine partner, Theo. Both mothers acknowledge that their sons signed up to do the job they loved best and fell with their loyal and trusted best friend beside them.Jane Duffy said of her son, Liam Tasker: ‘I know my son died doing the job he loved. And he loved that dog as I loved my son, with every ounce of his being. To lose Liam was and still is unbearable. But for Liam to have survived without Theo? Unthinkable.’

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780008148089
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	01/28/2016
Sold by:	HarperCollins Publishers
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Isabel George is a writer, journalist and PR, who has worked with animal charities, and particularly the PDSA, for many years. She has previously written for children and has also worked with the Imperial War Museum on various events and exhibitions connected with the Animals at War theme.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

1 Please God, look after him… 5

2 Man down! 35

3 For Queen and country - The Troubles 58

4 The dogs of war - deployment to Afghanistan 68

5 Sasha enters the theatre 78

6 Home - RAF Lyneham 85

7 Letters home - Lyn 109

8 Stay safe. Love you loads, son xxxx 126

9 Take one soldier and his warrior dog 139

10 The man and his dog 148

11 In the line of duty 162

12 Not again? 176

13 Repatriation: the final journey home 187

14 I really miss you, son… 207

15 Hero dogs 224

16 Coping beyond hope 233

17 Moving on 250

Epilogue - The Fallen 283