Pigeon Post
Mar. 29th, 2009 10:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nineveh_ukOne of the unexpectedly interesting minor exhibits at Bletchley Park yesterday was about the use of pigeons in WWII. The recommended way of wrapping a pigeon for transport left Your Reporter somewhat dubious as to the potential for damage to the human operator (although it obviously worked, given the production of a “somewhat crumpled pigeon” from inside the battledress of the signals officer after the attack on the Merville Battery). Particularly notable pigeons were awarded the Dickin Medal, the “Animal VC” founded in 1943 by the PDSA .
23 of the 53 Dickin Medal recipients of WWII were homing pigeons, used among other things as battlefield messengers, to carry secret documents, or released by downed air crew in need of rescue – even if they turned up without a message, the handlers were often able to work out where they had come from by the condition of the bird.
To be honest, I cannot consider that the pigeon, even the truly exceptional pigeon, is capable of the conscious “[display of] conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty”, although some of them seem to have been truly impressive and tenacious racing birds*. On the other hand, it is a recognition of the achievements of the breeders and trainers, who were civilians who offered their birds for use, which seems worthwhile.
*I might allow that horses, dogs, and the sole feline winner might be, on the basis that in some of the cases at least their actions were not solely obeying instinct, training, or saving their own lives.
Pigeon winners of the Dickin Medal, from the RPRA website.
White Vision
Pigeon ¬ SURP.41.L.3089
Date of Award: 2 December 1943
“For delivering a message under exceptionally difficult conditions and so contributing to the rescue of an Air Crew while serving with the RAF in October 1943.” [N_uk: 60 miles over heavy seas against a headwind of 25 miles per hour with visibility only a hundred yards at the place of release and three hundred yards at the place of arrival. The search had been given up twice before the pigeon arrived.]
Winkie
Pigeon ¬ NEHU.40.NS.1
Date of Award: 2 December 1943
“For delivering a message under exceptionally difficult conditions and so contributing to the rescue of an Air Crew while serving with the RAF in February, 1942.”
Tyke (also known as George)
Pigeon ¬ Number 1263 MEPS 43
Date of Award: 2 December 1943
“For delivering a message under exceptionally difficult conditions and so contributing to the rescue of an Air Crew, while serving with the RAF in the Mediterranean in June, 1943.”
Beach Comber
Pigeon ¬ NPS.41.NS.4230
Date of Award: 6 March 1944
“For bringing the first news to this country of the landing at Dieppe, under hazardous conditions in September, 1942, while serving with the Canadian Army.”
Gustav
Pigeon ¬ NPS.42.31066
Date of Award: 1 September 1944
“For delivering the first message from the Normandy Beaches from a ship off the beach-head while serving with the RAF on 6 June 1944.”
Paddy
Pigeon ¬ NPS.43.9451
Date of Award: 1 September 1944
“For the best recorded time with a message from the Normandy Operations, while serving with the RAF in June, 1944.” [230 miles in 4 hours and 5 minutes.]
Kenley Lass
Pigeon ¬ NURP.36.JH.190
Date of Award: March 1945
“For being the first pigeon to be used with success for secret communications from an Agent in enemy-occupied France while serving with the NPS in October 1940.”
Navy Blue
Pigeon ¬ NPS.41.NS.2862
Date of Award: March 1945
“For delivering an important message from a Raiding Party on the West Coast of France, although injured, while serving with the RAF in June, 1944.
Flying Dutchman
Pigeon – NPS.42.NS.44802
Date of Award: March 1945
“For successfully delivering messages from Agents in Holland on three occasions. Missing on fourth mission, while serving with the RAF in 1944.”
Dutch Coast
Pigeon ¬ NURP.41. A.2164
Date of Award: March 1945
“For delivering an SOS from a ditched Air Crew close to the enemy coast 288 miles distance in 7½ hours, under unfavourable conditions, while serving with the RAF in April 1942.”
Commando
Pigeon ¬ NURP.38.EGU.242
Date of Award: March 1945
“For successfully delivering messages from Agents in Occupied France on three occasions: twice under exceptionally adverse conditions, while serving with the NPS in 1942.”
Royal Blue
Pigeon ¬ NURP.40.GVIS.453
Date of award: March 1945
“For being the first pigeon in this war to deliver a message from a forced landed aircraft on the Continent while serving with the RAF in October, 1940.”
Ruhr Express
Pigeon ¬ NPS.43.29018
Date of Award: May 1945
“For carrying an important message from the Ruhr Pocket in excellent time, while serving with the RAF in April, 1945.”
William of Orange
Pigeon ¬ NPS.42.NS.15125
Date of Award: May 1945
“For delivering a message from the Arnheim Airborne Operation in record time for any single pigeon, while serving with the APS in September 1944.”
Scotch Lass
Pigeon ¬ NPS.42.21610
Date of Award: June 1945
“For bringing 38 microphotographs across the North Sea in good time although injured, while serving with the RAF in Holland in September 1944.”
Billy
Pigeon ¬ NU.41.HQ.4373
Date of Award: August 1945
“For delivering a message from a force-landed bomber, while in a state of complete collapse and under exceptionally bad weather conditions, while serving with the RAF in 1942.”
Broad Arrow
Pigeon ¬ 41.BA.2793
Date of Award: October 1945
“For bringing important messages three times from enemy occupied country, viz: May 1943, June 1943 and August 1943, while serving with the Special Service from the Continent.”
Pigeon ¬ NPS.42.NS.2780
Date of Award: October 1945
“For bringing important messages three times from enemy occupied country, viz: July 1942, August 1942 and April 1943, while serving with the Special Service from the Continent.”
Pigeon ¬ NPS.42.NS.7524
Date of Award: October 1945
“For bringing important messages three times from enemy-occupied country, viz: July 1942, May 1943 and July 1943, while serving with the Special Service from the continent.”
Maquis
Pigeon ¬ NPSNS.42.36392
Date of Award: October 1945
“For bringing important messages three times from enemy occupied country, viz: May 1943 (Amiens) February, 1944 (Combined Operations) and June, 1944 (French Maquis) while serving with the Special Service from the Continent.”
Mary
Pigeon ¬ NURP.40.WCE.249
Date of Award: November 1945
“For outstanding endurance on War Service in spite of wounds.” [N_uk: which included being repeated shot, and a tangle with a hawk.]
Tommy
Pigeon ¬ NURP.41.DHZ56
Date of Award: February 1946
“For delivering a valuable message from Holland to Lancashire under difficult conditions, while serving with NPS in July 1942.”
All Alone
Pigeon ¬ NURP.39.SDS.39
Date of Award: February 1946
“For delivering an important message in one day over a distance of 400 miles, while serving with the NPS in August, 1943.”
Princess
Pigeon ¬ 42WD593
Date of Award: May 1946
“Sent on special mission to Crete, this pigeon returned to her loft (RAFAlexandria) having travelled about 500 miles mostly over sea, with most valuable information. One of the finest performances in the war record of the Pigeon Service.”
Mercury
Pigeon ¬ NURP.37.CEN.335
Date of Award: August 1946
“For carrying out a special task involving a flight of 480 miles from Northern Denmark while serving with the Special Section Army Pigeon Service in July 1942.”
Pigeon ¬ NURP.38.BPC.6.
Date of Award: August 1946
“For three outstanding flights from France while serving with the Special Section, Army Pigeon Service, 11 July 1941, 9 September 1941, and 29 November 1941.”
GI Joe
Pigeon ¬ USA43SC6390
Date of Award: August 1946
“This bird is credited with making the most outstanding flight by a USA Army Pigeon in World War II. Making the 20 mile flight from British 10th Army HQ, in the same number of minutes, it brought a message which arrived just in time to save the lives of at least 100 Allied soldiers from being bombed by their own planes.” [N_uk: Maybe they should consider pigeons in Iraq?]
Duke of Normandy
Pigeon ¬ NURP.41.SBC.219
Date of Award: 8 January 1947
“For being the first bird to arrive with a message from Paratroops of 21st Army Group behind enemy lines on D Day 6 June, 1944, while serving with APS.”
Pigeon ¬ NURP.43.CC.1418
Date of Award: 8 January 1947
“For the fastest flight with message from 6th Airborne Div. Normandy, 7 June, 1944, while serving with APS.”
Pigeon ¬ DD.43.T.139 (Australian Army Signal Corps)
Date of award: February 1947
“During a heavy tropical storm this bird was released from Army Boat 1402 which had foundered on Wadou Beach in the Huon Gulf. Homing 40 miles to Madang it brought a message which enabled a rescue ship to be sent in time to salvage the craft and its valuable cargo of stores and ammunition.”
Pigeon ¬ DD.43.Q.879 (Australian Army Signal Corps)
Date of award: February 1947
“During an attack by Japanese on a US Marine patrol on Manus Island, pigeons were released to warn headquarters of an impending enemy counter-attack. Two were shot down but DD43 despite heavy fire directed at it reached HQ with the result that enemy concentrations were bombed and the patrol extricated.”
Cologne
Pigeon ¬ NURP39.NPS.144
Date of Award: unknown
“For homing from a crashed aircraft over Cologne although seriously wounded, while serving with the RAF in 1943.”
23 of the 53 Dickin Medal recipients of WWII were homing pigeons, used among other things as battlefield messengers, to carry secret documents, or released by downed air crew in need of rescue – even if they turned up without a message, the handlers were often able to work out where they had come from by the condition of the bird.
To be honest, I cannot consider that the pigeon, even the truly exceptional pigeon, is capable of the conscious “[display of] conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty”, although some of them seem to have been truly impressive and tenacious racing birds*. On the other hand, it is a recognition of the achievements of the breeders and trainers, who were civilians who offered their birds for use, which seems worthwhile.
*I might allow that horses, dogs, and the sole feline winner might be, on the basis that in some of the cases at least their actions were not solely obeying instinct, training, or saving their own lives.
Pigeon winners of the Dickin Medal, from the RPRA website.
White Vision
Pigeon ¬ SURP.41.L.3089
Date of Award: 2 December 1943
“For delivering a message under exceptionally difficult conditions and so contributing to the rescue of an Air Crew while serving with the RAF in October 1943.” [N_uk: 60 miles over heavy seas against a headwind of 25 miles per hour with visibility only a hundred yards at the place of release and three hundred yards at the place of arrival. The search had been given up twice before the pigeon arrived.]
Winkie
Pigeon ¬ NEHU.40.NS.1
Date of Award: 2 December 1943
“For delivering a message under exceptionally difficult conditions and so contributing to the rescue of an Air Crew while serving with the RAF in February, 1942.”
Tyke (also known as George)
Pigeon ¬ Number 1263 MEPS 43
Date of Award: 2 December 1943
“For delivering a message under exceptionally difficult conditions and so contributing to the rescue of an Air Crew, while serving with the RAF in the Mediterranean in June, 1943.”
Beach Comber
Pigeon ¬ NPS.41.NS.4230
Date of Award: 6 March 1944
“For bringing the first news to this country of the landing at Dieppe, under hazardous conditions in September, 1942, while serving with the Canadian Army.”
Gustav
Pigeon ¬ NPS.42.31066
Date of Award: 1 September 1944
“For delivering the first message from the Normandy Beaches from a ship off the beach-head while serving with the RAF on 6 June 1944.”
Paddy
Pigeon ¬ NPS.43.9451
Date of Award: 1 September 1944
“For the best recorded time with a message from the Normandy Operations, while serving with the RAF in June, 1944.” [230 miles in 4 hours and 5 minutes.]
Kenley Lass
Pigeon ¬ NURP.36.JH.190
Date of Award: March 1945
“For being the first pigeon to be used with success for secret communications from an Agent in enemy-occupied France while serving with the NPS in October 1940.”
Navy Blue
Pigeon ¬ NPS.41.NS.2862
Date of Award: March 1945
“For delivering an important message from a Raiding Party on the West Coast of France, although injured, while serving with the RAF in June, 1944.
Flying Dutchman
Pigeon – NPS.42.NS.44802
Date of Award: March 1945
“For successfully delivering messages from Agents in Holland on three occasions. Missing on fourth mission, while serving with the RAF in 1944.”
Dutch Coast
Pigeon ¬ NURP.41. A.2164
Date of Award: March 1945
“For delivering an SOS from a ditched Air Crew close to the enemy coast 288 miles distance in 7½ hours, under unfavourable conditions, while serving with the RAF in April 1942.”
Commando
Pigeon ¬ NURP.38.EGU.242
Date of Award: March 1945
“For successfully delivering messages from Agents in Occupied France on three occasions: twice under exceptionally adverse conditions, while serving with the NPS in 1942.”
Royal Blue
Pigeon ¬ NURP.40.GVIS.453
Date of award: March 1945
“For being the first pigeon in this war to deliver a message from a forced landed aircraft on the Continent while serving with the RAF in October, 1940.”
Ruhr Express
Pigeon ¬ NPS.43.29018
Date of Award: May 1945
“For carrying an important message from the Ruhr Pocket in excellent time, while serving with the RAF in April, 1945.”
William of Orange
Pigeon ¬ NPS.42.NS.15125
Date of Award: May 1945
“For delivering a message from the Arnheim Airborne Operation in record time for any single pigeon, while serving with the APS in September 1944.”
Scotch Lass
Pigeon ¬ NPS.42.21610
Date of Award: June 1945
“For bringing 38 microphotographs across the North Sea in good time although injured, while serving with the RAF in Holland in September 1944.”
Billy
Pigeon ¬ NU.41.HQ.4373
Date of Award: August 1945
“For delivering a message from a force-landed bomber, while in a state of complete collapse and under exceptionally bad weather conditions, while serving with the RAF in 1942.”
Broad Arrow
Pigeon ¬ 41.BA.2793
Date of Award: October 1945
“For bringing important messages three times from enemy occupied country, viz: May 1943, June 1943 and August 1943, while serving with the Special Service from the Continent.”
Pigeon ¬ NPS.42.NS.2780
Date of Award: October 1945
“For bringing important messages three times from enemy occupied country, viz: July 1942, August 1942 and April 1943, while serving with the Special Service from the Continent.”
Pigeon ¬ NPS.42.NS.7524
Date of Award: October 1945
“For bringing important messages three times from enemy-occupied country, viz: July 1942, May 1943 and July 1943, while serving with the Special Service from the continent.”
Maquis
Pigeon ¬ NPSNS.42.36392
Date of Award: October 1945
“For bringing important messages three times from enemy occupied country, viz: May 1943 (Amiens) February, 1944 (Combined Operations) and June, 1944 (French Maquis) while serving with the Special Service from the Continent.”
Mary
Pigeon ¬ NURP.40.WCE.249
Date of Award: November 1945
“For outstanding endurance on War Service in spite of wounds.” [N_uk: which included being repeated shot, and a tangle with a hawk.]
Tommy
Pigeon ¬ NURP.41.DHZ56
Date of Award: February 1946
“For delivering a valuable message from Holland to Lancashire under difficult conditions, while serving with NPS in July 1942.”
All Alone
Pigeon ¬ NURP.39.SDS.39
Date of Award: February 1946
“For delivering an important message in one day over a distance of 400 miles, while serving with the NPS in August, 1943.”
Princess
Pigeon ¬ 42WD593
Date of Award: May 1946
“Sent on special mission to Crete, this pigeon returned to her loft (RAFAlexandria) having travelled about 500 miles mostly over sea, with most valuable information. One of the finest performances in the war record of the Pigeon Service.”
Mercury
Pigeon ¬ NURP.37.CEN.335
Date of Award: August 1946
“For carrying out a special task involving a flight of 480 miles from Northern Denmark while serving with the Special Section Army Pigeon Service in July 1942.”
Pigeon ¬ NURP.38.BPC.6.
Date of Award: August 1946
“For three outstanding flights from France while serving with the Special Section, Army Pigeon Service, 11 July 1941, 9 September 1941, and 29 November 1941.”
GI Joe
Pigeon ¬ USA43SC6390
Date of Award: August 1946
“This bird is credited with making the most outstanding flight by a USA Army Pigeon in World War II. Making the 20 mile flight from British 10th Army HQ, in the same number of minutes, it brought a message which arrived just in time to save the lives of at least 100 Allied soldiers from being bombed by their own planes.” [N_uk: Maybe they should consider pigeons in Iraq?]
Duke of Normandy
Pigeon ¬ NURP.41.SBC.219
Date of Award: 8 January 1947
“For being the first bird to arrive with a message from Paratroops of 21st Army Group behind enemy lines on D Day 6 June, 1944, while serving with APS.”
Pigeon ¬ NURP.43.CC.1418
Date of Award: 8 January 1947
“For the fastest flight with message from 6th Airborne Div. Normandy, 7 June, 1944, while serving with APS.”
Pigeon ¬ DD.43.T.139 (Australian Army Signal Corps)
Date of award: February 1947
“During a heavy tropical storm this bird was released from Army Boat 1402 which had foundered on Wadou Beach in the Huon Gulf. Homing 40 miles to Madang it brought a message which enabled a rescue ship to be sent in time to salvage the craft and its valuable cargo of stores and ammunition.”
Pigeon ¬ DD.43.Q.879 (Australian Army Signal Corps)
Date of award: February 1947
“During an attack by Japanese on a US Marine patrol on Manus Island, pigeons were released to warn headquarters of an impending enemy counter-attack. Two were shot down but DD43 despite heavy fire directed at it reached HQ with the result that enemy concentrations were bombed and the patrol extricated.”
Cologne
Pigeon ¬ NURP39.NPS.144
Date of Award: unknown
“For homing from a crashed aircraft over Cologne although seriously wounded, while serving with the RAF in 1943.”
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