There were very few children here in Gander at the time in 1940, maybe 12 or 15 and no school for that first winter. One family owned a Newfoundland dog named Pal. He was a real pal for us few children. He pulled us on a sled and romped with us in the snow. It was great fun until one day his paw accidentally scratched my sister’s face.

Due to this mishap, it was decided to give Pal to the Royal Rifles of Canada, who were the first regiment stationed at Gander. This regiment was then posted to Hong Kong and along with their friendly mascot Pal, the regiment changed his name to Sergeant Gander By mid-December 1941, the Hong Kong Garrison was making a hopeless stand against the Japanese. During the fighting, some Canadians were pinned down when a Japanese grenade landed close by. Gander seized a grenade in his jaws and ran with it and died when it exploded. The soldiers escaped injury. The sad Christmas connection was the surrender of the regiment on December 25th, 1941 and their spending the remaining war years in Japanese prison camps.

I heard the story of Gander’s heroic act after the war, but it was not till October 19,1977. That year that the Dickens Medal, known as the Animals’ Victoria Cross, was awarded. I was honoured to attend the posthumous award and met and talked with some of the Hong Kong veterans who were there. The dog’s picture and the medal are now displayed at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.

By Eileen Elms
Nightingale Manor
Gander, NL
Age 92