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.

Establishing pigeon lofts in Palestine, 1943.

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

WO169/11222  #3, #4, #6, #7, #20

These pages are from the War Diary for the Middle Eastern Pigeon Service from January and February 1943.

Notes on training for Middle Eastern Pigeon Service, January 1943

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

Catalog numbers:  WO169/11222 #3, #8, #9, #10

These notes are from the 1943 War Diary for the Middle Eastern Pigeon Service.

World War II pigeon saves lives of 1000 British troops

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

Catalog number WO204/3930  #40

Here is a link you can copy and paste to see the video from 1946 about GI Joe:

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/a-pigeon-gets-a-medal/query/pigeon+medal

The file has a typo stating that GI Joe saved the lives of 100 troops.  He saved 1000, and the inhabitants of the town.  Peter Huntington’s and David Long’s books on the Dickin Medal winners, published in 2012, verify that 1000 troops were saved.

Reports on use of pigeons in combat operations-Tunisia and Italy

 

The British Army in Italy 1945

Commando Signallers prepare to release a carrier pigeon, Lake Comacchio area, April 4, 1945

  

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 WO204/3930  # 34, #35, #36, #37, #38, #39