The Saturday Telegraph, a sister paper of The Luton News, was launched in November 1914 with an "aah" story about man's best friend on one of its its early front pages.

Private Brown, of the 1st North Staffordshire Regiment, went with his regiment to the Continent in August. On September 27th his wife missed their dog, an Irish terrier named Prince, and she heard nothing more of the animal until a letter arrived from her husband in November.

In it Pte Brown said: "I am sorry you have not found Prince and you are not likely to - he is over here with me. A man brought him to me from the front trenches. I could not believe my eyes till I got off my horse and he made a great fuss of me.

"I believe he came over with some other troops. Just fancy his coming and finding me. He is quite settled down with me, and I have made him a coat out of some old greatcoats, which will keep him warm. He is now the pet of the regiment."