Famous Goats: Military Mascots

While stumbling around the internet I ran across a wikipedia page for William Windsor - the cashmere goat that was the mascot for the Royal Welsh Fusiliers (British Infantry). It seems William was demoted in 2006 from lance corporal to fusilier for some goatly ruckus during the Queen's Birthday celebration (I wonder if he munched the flowers on the Queen's hat). William, or Billy for short, retired in 2009, but the tradition of a goat in the fusiliers dates back to 1844.

goat mascot, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, World War I - 1914

As I researched a little more (because let's face it I find the idea of the military having a goat as a mascot amusing), I found that the tradition of goats in the military dates back as far as 1775 when a goat wandered onto the battlefield during the American Revolution. The US Navy has had a goat as a mascot since 1893 (when it dethroned the monkey). Today's mascot is Bill XXXIII. If you are curious about why the goat became the mascot, you can read it here - it's an odd tale, but then again it involves the military and animals - did you expect anythiing different? and the Greek Infantry, also 1910-1915, had goats as mascots.

US Navy Mascot 1910-1915

Greek Infantry 1910-1915