1944 pigeon delivers message too secret to be relayed by phone

(c) Crown copyright images reproduced by courtesy of The National Archives, London, UK

Catalog numbers AIR2/4129  #163, #164

This is a log and a letter created after a pigeon delivered a message on January 13, 1944.  The message began with “Good landing” and continued in another language.  Instructions were given to deliver the message under secret cover, instead of reading it over the phone.

1942 plan for pigeon to deliver coded message

Shown above: a message written on rice paper is put into a container and attached to a pigeon by members of 61^st Division Signals at Ballymena, Northern Ireland, July 3, 1941.  More pigeons can be seen in baskets behind them.  Photo purchased from Imperial War Museum Collection; originally from War Office Second World War Official Collection.

(c) Crown copyright images reproduced by courtesy of The National Archives, London, UK

Catalog numbers AIR2/4129 #185, #195, #196

The minute sheet outlines the plan for the pigeon, including the codes.   Sid Moon supplied pigeons for the Special Service.

Also below is correspondence from 1942 about the use of pigeons by A.I. 1 ( c ), the Air Intelligence component of M.I.6, the Secret Intelligence Service.  Documents exceed the frame for ease of reading.

WW2 pigeons complete "highly important task," 1940

 

(c) Crown copyright images reproduced by courtesy of The National Archives, London, UK

Catalog numbers AIR2/4129 #245, #246, #247, #248

Above is the message delivered by the pigeons which is described as a “highly important task.”  Unfortunately not many details exist in this series of documents.  The pigeons were "specially trained" by R.W. Beard.  In what way?  For what operation?  What were the "important communications?"

British Intelligence Services and use of pigeons in World War II

(c) Crown copyright images reproduced by courtesy of The National Archives, London, UK

Catalog numbers AIR2/4129 #184, #241, #242

Below is the minute sheet for the correspondence from November and December 1940  between W.D.L. Rayner, Squadron Leader,  Signals 1 (d) and Squadron Leader Sofiano at A.I. 1 ( c ).  A.I. 1 ( c ) was the Air Intelligence component of M.I.6, the Secret Intelligence Service.  Rayner advocated for having one person oversee the use of pigeons to collect intelligence by all branches of the Intelligence Services.  That person was F. Cruikshank, the pigeon expert appointed to M.I.5.

At the top is an Issue and Receipt Voucher from 1942 for some of the equipment needed to use the pigeons.

British agent and pigeons for operation in France, 1941

(c) Crown copyright images reproduced by courtesy of The National Archives, London, UK

Catalog numbers AIR2/4129

#232, #233, #234, #235, #236, #238, #239, #240

The seven documents below were created in 1940 and 1941.  They are the notes and correspondence for procuring pigeons for five operations.  These pigeons were supplied by R.W. Beard, whose name appears on the list above.  The first four documents cover the operation in France.  The next one pertains to an operation in February 1941.  The next two are notes for two operations in March 1941.

 A.I. 1 ( c ) was the Air Intelligence component of M.I.6, the Secret Intelligence Service.

      February 1941

March 1941

British agent and use of pigeons in World War II

(c) Crown copyright images reproduced by courtesy of The National Archives, London, UK

Catalog numbers AIR2/4129

#230, #231, #229, #228, #226, #227, #224, #225, #217, #216, #213

The documents below are notes and correspondence related to supplying pigeons to an agent for an operation to take place May 10, 1941. 

F. Cruikshank was the pigeon expert appointed to M.I.5.

 

 

 

 

 

1944 Plans for Allied Pigeon Lofts in Europe

(c) Crown copyright images reproduced by courtesy of The National Archives, London, UK

Catalog numbers WO208/3564 #01

WO208/3556 #54, #55, #56

The documents below outline how lofts will be set up outside of Britain in late 1944.

 

 

Spy pigeons-British Combined intelligence Committee cites value of pigeon service

(c) Crown copyright images reproduced by courtesy of The National Archives, London, UK

Catalog numbers WO208/3556 #72, #73, #74, #82, #83, #85

Captain Brian Melland of M.I.14 wrote this 2 page minute sheet dated July 2, 1941.  M.I.14 no longer exists.  During World War II it was the division of military intelligence which managed a secret pigeon service used to gather intelligence. 

This minutes sheet notes that the Combined Intelligence Committee considers the messages delivered by the pigeons as an important form of intelligence, as does the Air Ministry.  During this time these messages were one of the few sources of intelligence on German troop movements.

The third document cites interest in the pigeon service by D.D.M.I. (1).  The last three documents are message nineteen and the comments on the message alluded to in the minute sheet.