Pigeon Service extricates more than 300 men from danger, 1944

 

Pigeon in Rome by D. Truong

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

Catalog number:  WO169/16699  #30

Use of pigeons by British and Americans, 1944

Pigeon in Rome by D. Truong

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

Catalog number WO169/16699  #28

Microgram Pigeon Service, 1944

Pigeon in Rome by D. Truong

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

Catalog number WO169/16699  #29

Pigeon lofts in the Western Desert, 1943 and D-Day Fliers, 1944

 

Paddy and Gustav, were awarded the Dickin Medal in 1944 for their participation in D-Day.

To see these 2 pigeons receiving their medals you can copy and paste this link to your browser and view the 2 minute film:

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/d-day-fliers-decorated/query/pigeon+medal

The page below is from the 1943 War Diary for the Middle Eastern Pigeon Service.

1943 Traiing Notes on 2-Way Pigeon Service

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

Catalog numbers:  WO169/11222  #14, #21, #22

Report on the use of pigeons in Palestine, Syria, and Cyprus by the Middle Eastern Pigeon Service, 1943

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

WO169/16699  #8, #9

The first page is the December 1943 report for the Middle Eastern Pigeon Service’s operations in Syria, Palestine, and Cyprus.  268 operational messages were delivered.

The next page is Appendix A, the Cyprus Detachment Report for June-December 1943.  This report covers pigeons’ ship work and the use of pigeons by the RAF and the P.W.E.  Pigeons were used to maintain wirelss silence.  Action taken on a message delivered by one pigeon resulted in the capture of a Brigade Major along with the staff and transport.