The Unforgettable Story of the Dog Who Went to War and Became a True Hero

An interesting and informative story (ex. I never knew that British naval vessels carried mascots or that pre-WWII Chinese port cities were so international). But, as a dog breeder, I do think that the author tended to exaggerated Judy's instinctive actions/reactions by attributing them to more human-level motivation.

An excellent way to learn about one aspect of the war I had no knowledge of, but it would have been more pleasing to read more about Judy's peacetime life as a counterbalance to the essential grim reality.

The subject is very interesting; however Lewis writes as if to a 12-year old (almost like a Big Red type of story, but based on real incidences). He gives the dog human feelings and sometimes almost goes into first person dog. I much prefer the straightforward 1970s book (although only about 150 pages long) where the author interviews people still alive who remember the dog; this author writes from the human perspective, not from the perspective of the dog. He almost has the dog talking herself and just missing the opposable thumbs that would allow her to actually shoot, throw ropes and the like.

The dog was very smart but Lewis elevates her to a semi-fictionalized super dog status. His portrayal is not as good as that of Weintraub.

It is unfortunate to me that Lewis is considered a good author; this to me reflects on the readers who are not very astute as to what would be considered well-written non-fiction. Lewis almost makes this a historical novel by making the dog more human-like than he should be portrayed as.

What could have been an interesting historical story was quickly a boring, repetitive narrative that lost its heart too soon in the telling. I was greatly disappointed by the lack of writing skill but slogged through the book anyway, always hoping for it to get better along the way. It didn't.

Judy was indeed a most extraordinary dog by whatever standards - even by human standards - that one cares to judge. Born in the mid-thirties, she spend most of her life among troops aboard ships. In the West, we think of WW 2 as starting in 1939, but it seems that Japan started aggression against China a little earlier - and Judy was on board from quite early on.

I learned a lot of things from this book. I didn't know that troop ships habitually had animals (not always dogs) on board, partly to keep up morale but also because some animals could perform other useful tasks. Those other tasks mean that dogs are often chosen as the on-board animal, but other animals have sometimes been chosen instead. It seems that the people who selected Judy were particularly fortunate in their choice. As I know from following horse racing, a potential owner can choose from young animals on whatever criteria they like, but it's no guarantee that the chosen animal lives up to expectations. Judy far exceeded expectations, ending up as a champion, with a medal equivalent to the Victoria Cross to prove it.

The author tells Judy's story and how effective she was at warning troops of impending danger, discussing various incidents in which risked her life for them, as well as other incidents in which the troops risked their lives for her, It seems that both dog and troops were willing to take these risks because each was heavily dependent on the other. The troops quickly leaned to take Judy's barking seriously, especially when it was incessant. She even fooled the enemy once after realizing that her own men were in danger from the Japanese. In a desperate effort to distract the enemy, she resorted to incessant barking, perhaps implying that a tiger was nearby. However, Judy was lying just to cause a distraction. I didn't think dogs were clever enough to think that way.

Through it all, Judy came through to have a peaceful retirement with her master in Tanganyika (now Tanzania), after saving many lives by alerting troops to danger or diverting enemy attention. Yes, Judy helped above and beyond the call of duty - many times over.

*One of the most heart-stopping thrillers I have ever read is actually based on a true story. “Judy: The Unforgettable Story of a Dog Who Went To War And Became A True Hero” by Damien Lewis (Quercus/Hatchette Book Group) is a harrowing yet heartwarming story of an incredible canine that would’ve put both Lassie and Rin Tin Tin to shame, as impossible as that sounds! The English Pointer known as Judy of Sussex was not only the mascot of British gunboats “The Gnat” and “The Grasshopper”, she was also the only animal who was made an official Prisoner of War by the Japanese, and given the POW number “81A-Medan”.

In the author’s preface/intro, he shared the story of his inspiration for writing this book – a photograph of a distinguished-looking English Pointer who was being awarded the British Dicken Medal of Heroism after the end of World War II, which sparked his search to find out who this prestigious pooch was, and learn her story from the people that knew and loved her. Trust me, I had to use that detail as a mantra numerous times throughout the book as I damn near went into cardiac arrest from some of Judy’s near-death experiences: “She got a medal in the UK. She had to make it out of this!” I swear, this lucky lady had more lives than a cat!

That said, I don’t want to give away too much – I want you to experience not only Judy’s life journey, but the impact she made on all those who knew her, friend or foe. This is one of the most remarkable stories I have ever read, and I don’t have any fingernails left – they were all bitten to the core as Judy’s tale unfolded.

Starting with humble beginnings as a curious puppy born to a breeder in Shanghai who supplied English gentlemen stationed there with hunting dogs, “Shudi” (ironically meaning “peaceful one”) escaped from her breeder early on, and survived the streets of Shanghai where dog was prized as a meat source only because she was taken in by a kindly shopkeeper. Although war had not officially yet been declared, Japanese sailors bullied shopkeepers in the city, and “Shudi’s” benefactor was one of those attacked. Luckily, the daughter of one of her breeder’s kennel workers found her and brought her home.

Renamed to the Anglicized “Judy”, she was adopted as the ship’s mascot for the British gunboat “Gnat”. The horrors of war were soon to follow as the Japanese attacked Chinese targets, and the Allies became engaged in the Second World War itself. She not only proves herself to be an early alarm system to a myriad of dangers, she also survives and aids her Human family in surviving bombings, sinking ships, and prisoner of war camps of the most extreme conditions. She manages to find her “human family” supplemental food when rations in the prison camps equated starvation. She even takes on a crocodile – yes, with serious injuries – when trying to find safety for her “Human Family” in the jungles of Sumatra. Her POW family – forced to build a railroad through Sumatra in conditions worse than those outlined in “The Bridge On The River Kwai” – depended on her courage, tenacity, and loyalty for their very survival from the horrors they faced on a daily basis.

I would love to sing her praises in each and every little nuance that she contributed to human survival – including bringing survivors from a torpedoed and sinking ship to safety at no thought to herself. She felt the need to save as many humans as possible. But that would rob you of the amazement of this grrl’s incredible story.

Seriously, not only animal lovers but anyone who either loves a thrill ride or holds hope in high esteem MUST read this book!

This is for the Hardcover version

It seems strange to say that I truly loved a book where there was so much suffering, but I did. I can always tell when I'm into an extra special book—I look forward to getting back to it, I have trouble putting it down & I feel a bit lost when I've finished it. This book falls into that category. I'm sure you already know the gist of the story, so I'll just stick to what I liked about it.

1. The author, Damien Lewis, could easily have gone the shock route. Instead, he chose his words carefully. One well-chosen phrase would allow the reader to let the imagination roam as far as it could stand. There were times when he had to go into more depth, but it was never long before Judy entered the story again to provide "comedy relief". Amid the heart-breaking events, I had to laugh out loud at Judy's behavior.

2. I am a history lover, yet I knew next to nothing about the events in the far east of the 1930's up to the war. Mr. Lewis gave just enough background to provide understanding—including Japan's reason for attacking Pearl Harbor.

3. The beginning of the book delves into dog senses such as smell & hearing that are far superior to ours. Though I knew these things, it was still enlightening to read this overview.

4. I believe it has been said that the book reads like a novel. It does! Certain "characters" that Judy became close to were highlighted & brought to life. This gave the story a personal touch which drew me in—and sometimes sadly, made it more emotional.

5. There is a nice section of B&W photos.

6. Last but not least, the book increased—if that is possible—my undying respect for those who fought for freedom & suffered in POW camps from the most horrendous torments. The story is basically British with Indian, Australian & Dutch allies. It touches briefly on US involvement.

Some reviewers have had a problem with the anthropomorphism in the book—suggesting that Judy had behavior traits that went beyond what a dog would do. First off, maybe it's my love of Disney cartoons when I was growing up, but I feel that animals think & feel more than we give them credit for. This didn't bother me at all. To say that Judy (Full name: Judy of Sussex or Shudi, Mandarin for "Peaceful One") was one in a million is not an exaggeration. Always a dog lover, I was in awe of her canine senses, behavior & devotion to the men. It only increased my love for these incredible animals! It also helped to know that Judy survived the war & lived a few years afterward—Knowing this made it a lot easier to read her incredible story—yet I still cried when she "died".

I think anyone who loves animals, & dogs in particular, or likes military history—WWII history in the Far Eastern Theater—would like this story. There are a lot of books re POW's & tons of books about the various battles, but they don't have Judy for relief.

If you've read the story about Louis Zamperini, "Unbroken", you're familiar with the story of a man once a troubled youth who overcame his demons, suffered horribly at the hands of the Japanese, and ultimately found redemption. "Judy" reads just like that novel. It is he story of a dog who started her military career on a gunboat in the British Navy, who ultimately was taken prisoner of war with her human comrades and suffered along side them as they did their time in a variety of Japanese prison camps beginning in Sumatra. It is also the story of selfless heroism of the sort which would have earned awards of gallantry such as the Medal of Honor or the Victoria Cross had those deeds been performed by a human. It's the story of selfless devotion, of heroism, of resourcefulness, and of sadness once the time for Judy to leave this world arrived.

If you're a fan of military history, the stories of the men who served with her and the sacrifices they made for her will soften the hardest of hearts. If you're an animal lover, the escapades of a truly remarkable dog will both elate and sadden you. And if you're just someone who wants to read a great story about an unsung hero of World War 2, Judy will not fail to deliver beyond your wildest expectations.

All dogs go to heaven, and there's a special place there for Judy.