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Vizsladogs, Ltd.
RECOLLECTIONS
BY Charles Mosansky
Lynn Worth sent us this reprint from an issue of the 1956
Vizsla News.We’ve tried to track down some information about
this author but haven’t been successful -- if you know
anything please contact us.
"My parents were caretakers for Austro-Hungarian Baron
Valbot Bela who maintained his summer home at his castle outside
Zemplen Hogyala. I grew up with Baron Valbot's vizslas. When I
was 12 years old I was sent away to a trade school and there I
lost contact with the vizsla until I was 19 years old.
I was drafted into the Army right after WorldWar I broke out
and I was soon to learn what daring and heroics the vizsla would
play in the War. After a short training period, I was shipped to
the Russian Front. Ourcompany was very fortunate inasmuch as we
had a trained war dog, a vizsla. They were rather scarce and the
outfits that got them were considered lucky.
The dogs were used mainly for relaying messages, standing
guard and scouting for patrols. During the winter of 1915, we had
a lull in the fighting and we began to dig trenches and bomb
sheltersdeep down under the surface. One evening, while we were
resting in our shelters, our dog started acting very strangely.
He was restless and uneasy; then he stood perfectly motionless
and listened intently. He began to dig a hole in the ground. At
first, we didn't know what tomake of it. He would listen, then
dig. We got down on the ground, but heard nothing. The dog
wouldn't give up; he was trying to tell us something. Finally,
our Commander caught on - the Russians were digging under our
lines.
We retreated to a position far enough back and dug in again. A
few days later it happened - the Russians blew up our vacated
positions and began, what they thought, was a surprise attack. We
counter-attacked and dealt them a very humiliating defeat.
Because of that vizsla's intelligence and keen senses, hundreds
of our boys owed their lives to him.
In 1916, we were replaced on the front by fresh troops. We
were supposedto get a short furlough, but instead the Roumanians
attacked on another front and we were dispatched immediately to
fight them. This time we were not so fortunate, for we had no
dog. The other vizsla remained with his master who was separated
from our Company. When we reached the front, we had no idea of
where the enemy positions were. We sent out patrols, but they
never came back. Finally, we sent an urgent message to the higher
command requesting we have a dog. We were rewarded for, shortly
thereafter, we received two vizslas. They went out with our
patrols and, for awhile, were without results, but at least our
patrols returned. Finally, one day while out on a patrol, we
witnessed a battle of battles. Our vizsla came upon a Roumanian
police dog. This dog was out ahead of an enemy patrol. Both these
dogs were trained killers and they immediately went for each
other's throats. Here the vizsla showed his superior skill and
intelligence. He out-smarted and out-maneuvered the police dog
and before long the vizsla stood triumphant over his dead
opponent. He also alerted our patrol of the approaching enemy. We
took up our positions and waited. Before long, the enemy walked
right into our hands. We took them prisoners without a shot being
fired.
There were countless other deeds performed by this great dog,
many of which I witnessed and others I heard about. However,
these were among the most memorable heroics displayed by the
vizsla."
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