Rob – the farm dog and pet who became a war hero

When a black and white collie retriever was born on a farm in Shropshire in the late 1930s, it probably never occurred to his owners that he could become a hero.

Rob spent his early years with the Bayne family of Tetchill, after they bought him for five shillings soon after he was born.

He was their farm dog and pet before they volunteered him as a war dog in 1942 and he was signed up later that year.

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Rob saw action in North Africa from September 1943 and became the first war dog to serve with the Special Air Service Regiment (SAS).

He was also on operations in Italy, parachuting in on sabotage missions.

On 3 February 1945, Rob's courage was recognised when he was awarded the Dickin Medal, seen as a Victoria Cross for animals.

The citation read:  "For service including 20 parachute jumps while serving with infantry in North Africa and SAS Regiment in Italy."

He was also given the RSPCA Red Collar and Medallion for Valour as well as, according to reports, a lifetime supply of biscuits.

Rob was the only dog to be awarded both the Dickin Medal and the Red Collar, which were auctioned by militaria and medals specialist auctioneers Noonans on Wednesday.

Books were written about him and he even starred in a number of news articles.

He demobilised in November 1945 and, two years later, led the Wembley Parade of 32 war dogs in front of 10,000 spectators.

When Rob received the Dickin Medal, his owner Edward Bayne told the Oban Times how caring he had been as a farm dog.

"He used to help settle the chicks in their houses at night, picking them up in his mouth when they had strayed away – he had a wonderful mouth – and tucking them in under their mothers."

Edward's son Basil, who lives in Northern Ireland, learned to walk as a baby by holding onto Rob's tail or clutching his coat.

When Basil cried, Rob would put his front paws up on the pram, soothe him and make him laugh.

Basil said: "Following his wartime exploits, Rob was returned to us and settled back into life on the farm, occasionally making public appearances to help raise funds for returning prisoners of war and their families.

"In February 1948 he disappeared for five days with his companion, our other dog, Judy, a spaniel.

"Rob returned in an emaciated condition without his collar - his collar was what we called his everyday collar. It had red white and blue ribbon all around it.

"Several years later a local farm worker out rabbiting with spade found the collar hooked around the root of a tree. Rob had strained and lost weight until he was able to slip the collar over his head.

"This dilapidated collar, now missing all ribbons, is among the items in the auction and the strain on the holes in the collar is obvious!”

Rob died in 1952, aged 12.

The Dickin Medal has been awarded on 71 occasions – 32 times to pigeons, 34 to dogs, four to horses, and one to a cat.

Most of these were for acts of bravery during the Second World War but more recently the medal has gone to arms and explosives search dogs in Iraq and Afghanistan.