Friday 1 April 2016

Fascinating Friday - Vampire Dogs and Wartime Sabotage

Two articles caught my eye recently from our local newspapers, The Orcadian and The Orkney Herald which I thought you might like.

This first from 1st October 1915 from a page of WW1 news from Europe an unusual story of war sabotage:


An Old Woman's 'Comforts' for Soldiers - Paris, Wednesday. A woman of Montmartre known as Old Susan, received such numbers of letters from the front that curiosity was aroused. She pretended she was acting as godmother to a number of soldiers without families, but a discreet inquiry revealed the astounding fact that Susan was a German named Krialager, and packets of comforts she sent to the front contained cocaine, which she was supplying to devotees who, even fighting, could not wean from the drug habit. Susan was arrested.

The second from 9th May 1946, a report of a disturbing nature from Harray:



HARRAY - WILD DOG NOW A "VAMPIRE" - Harray's wild dog was still at large yesterday, according to reports from the West Mainland.
The spaniel raider has not been seen at close quarters, however, since Sunday, when he escaped from a big party of guns out seeking him.
The dog's keen sense of scent enabled him to make a get-away.
The latest report of attack upon poultry occurred early on Saturday when three fowls were the dog's victims. This occurred at a farm in the Lyde Road district.
This time, instead of carrying off the carcases and devouring them or burying them for future eating, the dog sucked the blood and left the dead birds at the scene.
With the tightening up of the guard upon fowl yards, it is feared that the dog may now turn to attacking lambs.
Meanwhile there is considerable nervousness among women who will soon be needed to help with the peat work in the hills.
 
References: Orkney Herald, 1st October 1915 - An Old Woman's Comforts; Orcadian 9th May 1946, p3 - Harray Wild Dog.










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