One limited edition of eight archival pigment prints, otherwise known as a giclée print.  Signed, named and numbered by the artist in pencil in the bottom border.

Giclée involves the use of specialist large format printers, archival pigment inks and museum-grade Hahnemuhle 290gsm fine art papers; the combination of which produces prints of exceptional quality and longevity.

Archival framing using hand picked Tassie Oak is an additional option. This piece is approximately 96cm x 76cm framed.

Please contact Sarah M:0447 979 262 if this of interest to you. 

OR

For enquiries about the original Graphite and watercolour on Saunders Waterford 300gsm paper. 

PDSA Dickin Medal recipient 70 Chips | Husky Crossbreed

Date of award: 15Jan 2018 | US Army

For his bravery and devotion to duty during the beach landings in Sicily, 1943.

Husky-crossbreed, Chips, was donated to the newly formed Dogs for Defense (DfD) by the Wren family when the US joined the war. DfD was the K9 Corps created to support the war effort and of the 40,000 dogs that were donated, only 10,000 made the cut, post-training.

Following his training, Chips and his handler, Private Rowell, sailed to French Morocco, where they saw action behind enemy lines. Chips’ unrivalled skills were also put to important use when he and his handler were deployed to patrol the Casablanca Conference, where Prime Minister Winston Churchill and US President Franklin D Roosevelt met to discuss the Allied Forces’ strategy for the rest of the war. Chips met both leaders while he performed his protection duties.

Chips and Private Rowell were then deployed to Sicily as part of ‘Operation Husky’, where their platoon was to assist in the invasion of the island.

On 10 July 1943, as Chips lead his platoon ashore under the cover of darkness, the soldiers were attacked on the beach by an enemy machine gun team, hidden in a nearby hut. As the platoon dived for cover, Chips broke free and ran straight for the hut, despite a barrage of gunfire. Private Rowell described what happened next:

“There was an awful lot of noise and the firing stopped. Then I saw one soldier come out of the door with Chips at his throat. I called him off before he could kill the man.”

Private Rowell reported that three other enemy soldiers followed, hands above heads.  During the incident, Chips sustained a scalp wound and powder burns, and required treatment for his injuries.  The hut turned out to be a machine-gun nest.

It transpired that Chips had grabbed the machine gun by the barrel and pulled it off its mount. Chips’ actions undoubtedly saved the lives of the men in his platoon.

Chips’ actions on that day make him a worthy recipient of the PDSA Dickin Medal. His medal was presented by PDSA at the Churchill War Rooms on Monday 15 January, the 75th anniversary of the Casablanca conference.

Following eight campaigns in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France and Germany, Chips returned home to the Wren family in 1945. No one more delighted than their children.

As viewed on the Peoples Dispensary for Sick Animals website, 11/04/2023 < https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/animal-awards-programme/pdsa-dickin-medal>, and various conversations and sources.

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