Philippe Montoisy’s Book, Shortlisted For The 2025 Defense Historical Service Prize

26 september 2025

Philippe Montoisy’s book shortlisted for the Readers’ Prize of the Defense Historical Service 2025

This is news that honors both the author and his publisher: the book The Military Dog and the First World War by historian Philippe Montoisy has been selected for the final shortlist of the Readers’ Prize of the Defense Historical Service (SHD) 2025. This prestigious military history award, attributed each year to a French-language book published two years prior, recognizes works that renew the understanding of conflicts and contribute to the dissemination of historical knowledge to the general public.

A PIONEERING WORK RECOGNIZED

The fifth edition of this prize will take place next spring, at the Château de Vincennes, headquarters of the SHD. Ten books are shortlisted, but only one will be chosen by the readers. The fact that Philippe Montoisy’s book is among the finalists illustrates the importance of his subject and the relevance of his approach: giving dogs their rightful place in the history of the First World War.

THE SHD READERS’ PRIZE: INSTITUTIONAL AND CIVIC RECOGNITION

The Readers’ Prize of the Defense Historical Service is not an academic award reserved for specialists. It is distinctive for its openness and for the composition of its jury. Each year, readers from all walks of life—enthusiasts of military history, amateurs, or initiated—are invited to elect their favorite book among a selection established by the SHD teams.

This democratic approach reflects the mission of the Defense Historical Service: to broadly disseminate military historical culture, promote research, and foster dialogue between academia, military institutions, and civil society.

For an author, being shortlisted already constitutes strong recognition: it means that the work meets a double criterion, both scientific and pedagogical. In Philippe Montoisy’s case, it also acknowledges his intuition: placing dogs, so often invisible in narratives, at the center of a meticulous historical inquiry.

WAR ANIMALS: FROM SHADOW TO LIGHT

The book is part of a recent historiographical movement: the study of animals in modern conflicts. Long relegated to the background of war stories, animals were at best anecdotal figures, at worst forgotten elements. Yet, the commemorations of the Centenary of the First World War (2014–2018) highlighted the role of horses, carrier pigeons, and dogs, sparking interest from scholars and the general public alike.

Philippe Montoisy takes this inquiry further: he focuses specifically on the military dog, both combat companion and active participant in the war effort. Through archives, testimonies, and iconographic sources, he retraces the evolution of their use, their missions (rescuing the wounded, transmitting messages, carrying equipment), as well as the imagination and propaganda surrounding them.

WHY THIS SELECTION MATTERS

The presence of this book in the shortlist of the 2025 SHD Readers’ Prize is significant. It reflects recognition of the relevance of broadening historical perspectives. It means rehabilitating the forgotten of the war: the dog is not merely a touching anecdote but an actor whose efficiency and loyalty contributed to combat operations.

Moreover, the book expands the scope of military history: beyond strategies, generals, and technologies, it is also the history of concrete survival conditions and communication at the front. Finally, the book encourages ethical reflection: by recognizing the role of animals, we also question the relationship between humans and animals in extreme wartime situations.

This selection, beyond the honor bestowed upon the author, marks an important step in the academic and institutional recognition of an emerging field of study.

AN EVENT TO FOLLOW UNTIL SPRING

The 2025 Readers’ Prize will be awarded in the spring, during a ceremony at the Château de Vincennes. For Philippe Montoisy and his publisher, this is already valuable visibility: being read, discussed, and evaluated by a jury of passionate readers is a reward in itself.

Until then, it is up to everyone to spread this news and to contribute to the book’s visibility. The dynamics of the prize rely precisely on the mobilization of readers: the more the book circulates, the more its subject resonates and convinces, and the greater its chances of success.

A WORK DESTINED TO BECOME A REFERENCE

Beyond the event itself, this book establishes itself as a reference in the still underexplored field of military dogs. In recounting their history, the author goes beyond descriptive narration: he examines how a society at war mobilizes all its resources, including man’s closest companions.

With clear and well-documented writing, Philippe Montoisy offers a work that is both accessible and rigorous, appealing to military history enthusiasts as well as readers eager to understand the complex relations between humans and animals in extreme contexts.

A PRIZE, A MEMORY, A TRIBUTE

The selection of The Military Dog and the First World War for the 2025 SHD Readers’ Prize is a strong signal. It recognizes the work of a passionate historian, sheds light on a subject still too little known, and reminds us of the importance of giving a place to all the actors of war, even the most silent ones.

While awaiting the fall selection and the spring award ceremony, the book continues to make its way: as a tribute to military dogs, powerful and faithful allies, and as a reflection on the shared memory of a total war.

➡️ Discover and order the book
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➡️ Support and vote for the book, until October 31, 2025, on the Defense website