Corporal Baboon

Several years before the outbreak of World War I, a farmer named Albert Marr of Villeria, Pretoria, South Africa found a baboon on his farm. He decided to take care of it, and they soon became inseparable. Even when Albert joined the Third South African Infantry Regiment in 1915, Jackie could not be separated from him. Albert was given the permission to bring Jackie along with him. While at first he was largely ignored by everyone at the camp base, he was later officially adopted as the regiment's mascot. When the regiment reached England, Jackie was provided with a special uniform and a cap, complete with regimental badges. When Albert was injured in a battle in 1916, Jackie was beside himself with worry, licking the wound, and trying to comfort his friend. He even joined drills and marched with his company and was put on guard duty with Albert because of his keen eyesight and hearing. Jackie was wounded in an arm and leg by the German army in 1918, and had to lose his leg as a result. He was officially and respectfully discharged by the army at Cape Town in 1919, and wore a gold stripe and three blue service chevrons on his arm, indicating three years of frontline service. He even received the parchment discharge paper, a military pension and a Civil Employment Form for discharged soldiers. He was awarded the Prtoria Citizen's Service Medal in 1920 and died a year later in 1921.