Figure 1.--Here we see a French World War I postcard with a Boy Scout and Red Cross dog. It looks like it was mailed in 1915, but the post mark is indistinct. The French and Germans trained about 50,000 dogs, mostly for guard and sentry duty. The Germans would have a much larger dog training program in World War II. The caption read, "Honour au chine hardy, fire et valiant. Qui recon forte no's cheers combatants." That means, " Honour to the brave, proud and valiant dog. Who comforts our dear warriors." Animals played an important role in World War I. The most important was the horse. World War I was the first important European War since ancient times in which the cavalry did not play an important role. All the major combatant countries began the War with important cavalry forces, but found that changes in weaponry and aerial recognisance had rendered horse cavalry obsolete. Even so, the horse was still important as a draft animal. By all accounts, the horse was the most important animal during the War. All of the combatant forces used draft animals to transport supplies and equipment as well as to move artillery. A British reader tells us that there is a monument in London dedicated to the donkey in war. Gradually trucks were introduced. The American Expeditionary Force brought a huge number of trucks with it. And the War would prove to be a dividing line between horse-draw carts and waggons and trucks. After the War, improved trucks rapidly replaced horses in America. The process was slower in Europe. Trucks were particularly useful behind the lines, but often could not negotiate the muddy and torn up terrain at the front. Dogs were also important in the War. The French and German armies in particular used dogs, mostly as sentries, scouts, ammunition and equipment carries as well as to send messages. They also proved useful in killing rats in the trenches. The French and Germans trained about 50,000 dogs. When the Americans arrived in France, they did not have trained dogs. The British and Belgians loaned trained dogs to the Americans. Carrier pigeons were also important in carrying messages.