Hero RAF sniffer dog is awarded highest honour for saving British troops in Afghanistan

A ‘hero’ sniffer dog proved pooches really are man’s best friend after being awarded the highest service medal an animal can receive for helping to save the lives of British troops.

Retired RAF working dog ‘Hertz’ received the prestigious PDSA Dickin Medal – the equivalent of the Victoria Cross for animals – for his life-saving devotion to protecting Allied troops while serving in Afghanistan in 2013. 

The German short-haired pointer was the first dog in British military history to be able to detect mobile phones, voice recorders, GPS devices and SIM cards. 

During his service in Afghanistan, Hertz uncovered hundreds of illegal items deemed contraband – including drugs and electronic devices.

Warrant Officer Jonathan Tanner, Hertz’s former handler, shared his delight that the working dog was going to be recognised with the highest honour possible. 

‘At no point during the training process or our operational deployment did I expect or even suspect that Hertz would be acknowledged on the global stage by the PDSA,’ he said.

‘I will forever look back at what we achieved with a massive smile on my face.’ 

Following weeks of specialist training to detect personal electronic devices (PEDs), German short-haired pointer Hertz and his handler, WO Jonathan Tanner (left), were deployed to Afghanistan

After being bred in Croatia, the pooch joined the RAF Police as a one-year-old puppy after wowing trainers during drug detection tests. 

Following weeks of specialist training to detect personal electronic devices (PEDs), Hertz and his handler, WO Jonathan Tanner, were deployed to Afghanistan.  

The pair worked together in both military and civilian compounds in Camp Bastion in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province and later in the capital of Kabul.

Retired RAF working dog ‘Hertz’ received the prestigious PDSA Dickin Medal (pictured above) – the equivalent of the Victoria Cross for animals – for his life-saving devotion to protecting Allied troops while serving in Afghanistan in 2013.

After being bred in Croatia, Hertz joined the RAF Police as a one-year-old puppy after wowing trainers during drug detection tests

During Hertz’s 13-month tour, there was not a single rocket attack on Camp Bastion. Over the course of his service, the dog also discovered more than 100 items of contraband which was used to aid British intelligence efforts in the region.

Corporal Simon Dack from RAF Police, who also worked with Hertz, said: ‘As a team I would put Hertz into an area which I believed prohibited items were hidden and without fail he would find them.

‘Hertz has an incredible drive to search – paired with a finely tuned nose – making him one of the most naturally gifted dogs I have had the privilege to work with.’

Commenting on the award, the PDSA said: ‘His work was vital to ensure the safety of all the personnel working there, both locals and military. It is difficult to truly estimate how many lives he saved through his actions.’  

The PDSA Dickin Medal was founded in 1943 by Maria Dickin, who wanted a permanent honour to recognise outstanding acts of bravery by animals serving in the Armed Forces during war. 

Previous winners of the prestigious honour include White Vision, a pigeon that battled through nine hours of adverse conditions to deliver a message that led to the rescue of a ditched aircrew in October 1943.

Another of the 74 recipients was Simon the cat, who was praised for ‘gallantry under fire’ in 1949 and for rat-disposal services aboard the warship HMS Amethyst.