The cat that went to war

THE astonishing story of a Newhaven cat that took part in the Dieppe Raid and received a medal for its 'bravery' has come to light.

THE astonishing story of a Newhaven cat that took part in the Dieppe Raid and received a medal for its 'bravery' has come to light.

The tale was related to Peacehaven man Ted Shipsey by a survivor of the ill-fated operation of August 19, 1942.

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And Ted on Friday handed over the cat's medal in its special frame to Newhaven Fort where it will form part of a standing exhibition on the raid.

It was on the evening of August 18, 1942, that the little black and white cat sneaked on board Tank Landing Craft number five moored at Newhaven. She originally belonged to Wrens stationed at an office on the West Quay,

Once aboard she was befriended by the crew who called her Sooty RN.

On the following day the ill-fated assault on German positions took place.

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The TLC5 was severely damaged while attempting to to gain deep water from the main landing area. The crew were forced to abandon ship.

Among the survivors who were rescued from the sea by Flakship4 was one Sooty RN.

She had managed to swim clear of the foundering landing craft and then cling on to a surviving crewman's steel helmet while under constant fire from the enemy. Some 4,000 men, mostly Canadians, were either killed, wounded or taken prisoner on the raid.

Sooty RN was the only animal to accompany the entire forces in the operation and it was a miracle she did not die of shock, said Ted, a former Royal Navy leading seaman, of Cissbury Avenue.

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When she arrived ashore she was seen tucking into a portion of 'corned dog' and evaporated milk. After that she settled down on a seaman's jersey in front of an electric fire, studiously licking the English Channel out of her fur.

The last time she was seen was on the morning of August 20, sitting in her favourite spot in Newhaven as if nothing had happened.

Sooty was put forward for a posthumous award the PDSA Dickin Medal but the request was turned down as she was a stowaway and not a full member of the crew.

In 1992 a campaign was initiated to get some belated recognition for the little cat.

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And in early 1993 the British branch of the Maritime Art Society (now disbanded) received a package in the post with a medal in it. With it was a letter from a TLC5 survivor, signed Johnno.

He had sent his WWII general service medal in Sooty's honour.

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