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Jet of Iada

bronze bust of a dog
Jet of Iada bronze by Edna Rose

Jet was a rescue dog from Liverpool who was awarded a bravery medal for war service. He went to the 'War Dog School' in Gloucester from the age of nine months and was first stationed in Northern Ireland.

Click below to hear three excerpts from an interview in which Lilias Ward (the daughter of Jet's owner) talks about her memories of Jet (MP3 audio format). You can read a full transcript of the excerpts from Lilias Ward's interview here.

There is a memorial to Jet in Calderstones Park, Liverpool where he is buried. Lilias Ward has proud memories of how her mother arranged this:

Memorial to Jet
Jet's memorial in Calderstones Park

"My mother had been in touch with Liverpool City Council to ask what they could do? Whether the park would give him a site because Calderstones Park meant so much to her, and everything was set in motion. It was a very very satisfying day, sad, but satisfying, because he was a special person.

The main thing my mother wanted was for the story of the contribution made to the war effort by individuals and dogs as well, to be told to children, and for them to know the good things that dogs can do to help us. The marvellous thing is that a friend of mine was standing by the memorial recently and she heard two mothers come and read out, and tell their children the story, so I thought well my mother would be pleased about that"

The inscription on the memorial reads:

'JET OF IADA. Dickin Medal & Medallion for Valour. First Rescue Dog Air Raids 2nd World War'

Accession number for the bronze bust of Jet by Edna Rose in the Walker Art Gallery's collections, WAG7003

On display in London

A painting of Jet from the Walker Art Gallery collection was included in the exhibition The Animals' War, originally held at the Imperial War Museum, London. The exhibition opens at the Imperial War Museum North from 26 May 2007 to 6 January 2008.

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