Dogs are not often buried in historic town squares, but that is the case here in King Edward Place in Burton. Across the square from the old town hall you'll find this marker, which indicates the spot where three Staffordshire bull terriers lie.
The dogs are no ordinary ones of course. The dogs, all named Watchman, are the most recent mascots of the Staffordshire Regiment. Watchman the Fifth (aka Watchman V) is now in post, and curiously (don't you love weird traditions?) is actually a Lance Corporal in the army.
The Staffordshire Regiment was mightily reduced under recent spending cuts and is now the '3rd Battalion the Mercian Regiment' - so who knows if there will be another Watchman?
(By the way, 'Watchman' preceded the 'Watchmen' super-hero series... )
Link: The history of Watchman
This post was featured on the Cemetery Sunday website
I think it's wonderful that there's a marker for these dogs (and in fact, think there should be more of them .... the markers, that is, not necessarily more of the dogs, per se). :)
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! What an amazing tribute. But what happened to Watchman the Fourth?
ReplyDeleteThank you for linkinh up with Cemetery Sunday
Beneath Thy Feet
Thanks Nicola. To answer your question: Watchman IV is still alive, I believe, and living in happy retirement
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