Honours for war hero glow worms

Wed 24 November, 2004 10:03

LONDON (Reuters) - The country's most unusual war heroes -- including glow worms, elephants and monkeys -- will be honoured today for their devotion to duty under fire.

Princess Anne will unveil a war memorial in London's Park Lane on Wednesday dedicated to all the animals and insects that endured hardship with the nation's armed services.

"Britain's Animals in War memorial is a nation's long-awaited and very welcome tribute to the millions of animals that have served and suffered for their country," said Marilyn Rydstrom, head of the PDSA animal charity.

Among those honoured will be glow worms whose light was used by soldiers to read maps during the trench warfare of World War One.

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyID=6906103§ion=news

There's a memorial near where I live, and it's over 70 years old:

Animals War Memorial Dispensary

Unlike the Park Lane memorial, this one is actually useful, being a dispensary for sick animals.

(Yes, I know there should be an apostrophe in the above description, but there isn't one on the building!)