Although very little information is known about Bob, this brave dog had an important role in history helping his fellow men who fought in the Boer War.
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| Boer War postcard |
There were two Boer Wars: The first was during 1880-1881 when the South African Boers fought England in order to regain the independence they had given up to obtain British help against the Zulus. The second (also called the Anglo-Boer War or the South African War) was during 1899-1902 when the Boers of the Transvaal and Orange Free State declared war on Britain.
The daytime heat in South Africa was often severe and supplies like water was limited to the soldiers on trek. However, some soldiers were fortunate to have Bob the dog. The men would strap bottles to Bob's body and the dog would go to a stream (dodging bullets), lie down in the water until the bottles were full, then bring the water back for the troops.
My guess is, the water Bob brought to the soldiers helped save many lives.
