Brag the dog, who fearlessly charged into the Jeffrey’s Bay ocean back in the 1940s, is being honoured for his bravery, love and sacrifice.
Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa (08 December 2022) – A fisherman’s best friend was celebrated in Kouga recently and the story is a heartwarming one. In the 1940s Captain Charles October Hammond had a loyal dog named Brag. Every morning the pair would go down to the beach so the captain could fish and Brag would wait for him to return. On one of these typical days, the captain’s boat was flipped and Brag raced into the ocean to save his owner, losing his own life in the process.
Brag’s life was honoured by the community and municipality, in the form of a statue, where he can now forever sit and protectively watch over the ocean. His statue was unveiled in late November and is a nod to the history of the small town.
According to historian Bert Behrens, author of “Old Jeffreys Boy – Lest we forget”, Brag and Captain Hammond would get to the beach at 03:00 each morning. Captain Hammond would set out for his day’s fishing on the rowboat Poor Man’s Friend alongside his team of eight. Brag would run along the beach until the boat was out of sight, and then sit patiently waiting for their return at 14:00.
The day that Brag gave his life to save his beloved owner is one that many have never forgotten. The story goes, that as the captain and his crew returned from the day at sea, their boat was capsized by a big wave. Frantic, Brag raced into the ocean to save the captain and was swept away by a powerful current. He was pulled under and never seen again.
“Brag fearlessly jumped to Hammond’s rescue – showing that true love and bravery know no limits.”
The statue honours that love and bravery and serves as a reminder for all. It can be found close to the Amphitheatre at Dolphin Beach in Jeffreys Bay.
The statue was created by well-known local sculptor, Renier Viljoen. There was only one available photo to work from but he managed to bring Brag to life. Brag can be seen with his head raised above his stretched paw, resting proudly on a decorative stone base – overlooking the sea.
“This specific location was chosen by the municipality due to its close proximity to the area where boats were launched in the 1940s,” said Kouga Executive Mayor, Horatio Hendricks.
The original pitch and plan were done by Jeffreys Bay Tourism and Dorp van Drome, they asked the municipality to join hands to turn the dream into reality and so it was done. Most of the work was done by members of Jeffreys Bay Tourism and Dorp van Drome, while the municipality helped with the transport and placement of the statue.
“For us, Brag is more than just a hero to his owner,” said Hendricks. “We want residents to remember his legacy – and the rich history of Jeffreys Bay that was named after Captain Jeffreys who was forced to land his vessel in the 1840s and built a primitive port on what is now the main beach.
“We, furthermore, want to teach young and old about true friendship and sacrifice.”
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