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| Urinating WWII Great Dane's medal sold | Urinating WWII Great Dane's medal sold |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A medal awarded to a dog in World War II for extinguishing a bomb by urinating on it has been sold at auction for £1,100. | A medal awarded to a dog in World War II for extinguishing a bomb by urinating on it has been sold at auction for £1,100. |
| The 1941 Blue Cross medal was found in a property clearance in Bristol along with a painting of Great Dane Juliana. | The 1941 Blue Cross medal was found in a property clearance in Bristol along with a painting of Great Dane Juliana. |
| A plaque on it describes how the dog put out an incendiary bomb dropped by the Luftwaffe on her owner's home. | A plaque on it describes how the dog put out an incendiary bomb dropped by the Luftwaffe on her owner's home. |
| "This was clearly a Great Dane with a great bladder," auctioneer Philip Taubenheim said. | "This was clearly a Great Dane with a great bladder," auctioneer Philip Taubenheim said. |
| Mr Taubenheim, of Wotton Auction Rooms, in Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, said it was a "remarkable story". | |
| He said the medal had been found at a property which had belonged to a relative of Juliana's owner. | He said the medal had been found at a property which had belonged to a relative of Juliana's owner. |
| Letterbox poisoning | Letterbox poisoning |
| "Rarely is there such an interesting story behind items we handle," said Mr Taubenheim. | "Rarely is there such an interesting story behind items we handle," said Mr Taubenheim. |
| "People usually like to hang on to things like this. It's only because the family became estranged that this piece came on to the market." | "People usually like to hang on to things like this. It's only because the family became estranged that this piece came on to the market." |
| The plaque also revealed that Juliana was awarded another Blue Cross medal for alerting her owner to a fire which broke out in his shoe shop in 1944. | The plaque also revealed that Juliana was awarded another Blue Cross medal for alerting her owner to a fire which broke out in his shoe shop in 1944. |
| Mr Taubenheim said that despite Juliana's two great acts of courage, she met a sad end in 1946. | Mr Taubenheim said that despite Juliana's two great acts of courage, she met a sad end in 1946. |
| "Tragically the poor animal was poisoned," he said. | "Tragically the poor animal was poisoned," he said. |
| "Someone put it through her owner's letterbox and she died." | "Someone put it through her owner's letterbox and she died." |
| The Blue Cross medal was originally awarded to military horses in World War I. | The Blue Cross medal was originally awarded to military horses in World War I. |
| The honour was later widened to include other animals who committed acts of bravery. | The honour was later widened to include other animals who committed acts of bravery. |
| Mr Taubenheim said the medal and portrait sold at auction for more than 18 times the pre-sale estimate of £60. The identity of the buyer is not known. |