No Better Friend: One Man, One Dog and Their Incredible Story of Courage and Survival in World War II
In No Better Friend, Weintraub shares the moving story of Judy of Sussex—the only sanctioned canine POW—RAF technician Frank Williams, and their harrowing tale of military survival during World War II. The author relays a “Hollywood” narrative of Judy, a purebred pointer who was adopted by the crews of the Pacific-trolling Gnat and Grasshopper and who carried out a variety of duties – duties she learned on her own to protect the men she was sailing with. She survived a jungle march in Sumatra after which she met her companion Frank. They both survived a tormenting stint as Japanese POWs, each looking after the other.
The tale is outstanding and moving, though at times gets bogged down in unnecessary details, especially in the early years of Judy’s life. If you love animals or the history of World War II, this is a unique piece of history that shouldn’t be missed.
