T H E C O V E N A N T E R
and its from there came these thoughts
quite amusing at the time, (I thought)
I was going to Nairobi for spares this
morning and Sgt. Page asked for a lift as he
had to go in for Band spares etc.
Off we go in my 3 Ton Bedford and those
days Bendix smoked cigars. Going into
Nairobi, I had to stop at traffic lights. They
turned to green and I proceeded through
the lights when a car sped across the lights
at red.
I slammed my brakes on and Bendix
with cigar in mouth slammed into the He is probably the city’s best known war
windscreen, splattering his cigar all over hero and on Sunday well-wishers from all
his face. over the country will visit Central Park
He was cross, but I couldn’t stop laughing in Peterborough to see his newly restored
and he eventually saw the funny side of the grave stone unveiled. But who was this
situation. brave hero from the trenches? Jimmy the
The reason I am only just writing this, Donkey, of course!
is because in my search for M.T. Section
Cameronians I have just found another, “Our Jimmy”
and he forwarded The Covenanter 2001.
Hopefully I will get up to date.
At 7.30am on July 1st 1916, as the sun
I just thought I would share this humorous
blazed down, the shrilling of officers’
situation with you and your readers.
whistles signalled the start of the bloody
battle of the Somme. As the fighting raged,
yours etc,
men of the 1st Battalion the Scottish Rifles
Bryan Mead
over-ran a German position, where they
found a frightened baby donkey, braying
Sir,
piteously beside his mother’s body. The
I thought you would like to know that
soldiers took pity of the little orphan and
Jimmy’s memorial service went very well,
adopted him as their mascot, naming him
with over 200 people in attendance.
Jimmy and weaning him on tinned milk.
Unfortunately Col. Campbell was not able
They taught him to beg on his hindlegs
to attend, on doctors orders, but three ex-
for biscuits spread with jam, his favourite
members of the regiment did manage to get
food, and legend has it that he would
there, and the wreath which Col. Campbell
stand outside the trenches and greet each
paid for on behalf of the Regiment, was
soldier by raising a hoof in salute. There is
laid by Tom Gore, who had joined the 9th
no doubt that lavishing attention on the
Battalion in Normandy, about a month
little fellow described as, ‘An engaging little
after the landings. The other two men were
creature, almost black in colour, full of fun
Harry Butler and Mr M. Hall (I didn’t catch
his first name.) Credit should be given to
John Fitzgerald who made the original
proposal handing over to Clr Lowndes
when he had to go off to Canada for a
couple of months.
Thank you for your interest in Jimmy.
yours etc,
Carolyn Devine
and the high spirits common to most you
animals,’ provided the men with a much-
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