Ww1 Cats Poem by Sheena Blackhall

A common sight in WW1 were cats
On ships, in trenches fighting mice and rats

Half a million cats were sent to war
As gas detectors, pets, amongst the gore
And mud and death, they guarded food
Killing the vermin as good felines should

Some were chosen as battalion mascots:
Martinpuich, pet cat of the 9th Battalion,
Gordon Highlanders (the 15th Division)

Pitouchi was born in the trenches.
His mother was shot when he was still a kitten,
He was adopted by Lt. Lekeux of the Belgian army
A loving, faithful, warm-to-handle mitten.
One day he saved his soldier master's life:
Drew German fire onto himself instead
Survived, so swift off the shell hole he sped

And so, with horse and pigeon, cats were found
Alongside humans in that Hellish ground
Where life was cheap, beneath death's cruel scythe
And battle took its bloody toll of life