World War I and the Animals of No Man’s Land

The First World War saw some of the most unprecedented technological advances in the modern world. Soldiers on all fronts would see the introduction of huge battleships, large tanks, and enormous amounts of artillery. But, behind these innovations, there were warriors who had to deal with the everyday struggles of war, and these soldiers needed animals to help them along.

We’ve gathered the photos that best portray the strife of an animal in “no man’s land.” We look deeper into the role of these trusted creatures. What were these animals capable of doing, and how did humans teach them to do so many extraordinary things?

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Tillz the hen who has her own Anderson shelter. November 1940. Photo by WATFORD/Mirrorpix/Mirrorpix via Getty Images

Some of these animals will leave you in awe of what humanity was capable of doing when faced with the reality of war. Take this chicken, for example. Luckily this little guy was actually a battalion mascot, and had his own little hut to stay cozy in! Animal war mascots are very prevalent throughout history. Like the next one you will see, some of these mascots did not make any sense…

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