Dog saves 'dead' sailor

by Sumana Saparamadu

There were two world wars in the last century. The first went on from 1914 to 1918. The second started in 1939 and ended in 1945. This is a story from the first world war.

On New Year's day in 1915 the battleship Formidable was sunk by a German Submarine off the coast of South Devon in England. Over 500 men died. The body of able seaman, John Cowan was found floating on a life raft two days later. He had no signs of a heart-beat. So his body was laid out with two other bodies in the cellar of a public house - a place selling drinks like beer and whisky.

Lassie, the landlord's dog followed the bearers of the sailor's body to the cellar, and refused to leave Cowan's body. He licked his face and nuzzled (pressed nose) his body and head for more than half an hour. The 'dead' sailor stirred. A guard on duty saw this and reported it to his superiors.

Cowan was rushed to hospital. Hours later he made a full recovery.