The Great Messengers of War

[Wiley]

Red Cock NU.42.E8558

carried in over 50 bomber operational sorties.The only survivor from a bomber lost in the vicinty of target Essen during the night of the 13th March 1943.The pigeon reached England during the following morning exhausted and injured and its message was forwarded vie the police the same day.Distance 380 miles

[Wiley]

Blue Chequer Hen NEHU 38 M 9909 'BOUNCER'

WHILST ON OPERATIONS IN A BOMBER HIT BY ENEMY FIRE THREE BULLETS PASSED THROUGHT THE PIGEON CONTAINER ONE THROUGH THE BIRDS TAIL AND ONE SCALPED HER HEAD SHE HOMED TO HER LOFT NORMALLY

[Wiley]

COCK NUHW 38 EGU 139

BEFORE DAWN ON THE 31ST MARCH 1942 THE PIGEON WAS RELEASED IN DARKNESS IN THE FRENCH INTERIOR EIGHT DAYS AFTER ITS ISSUE OF THE TASK.ARRIVED WITH MOST VALUABLE INFORMATION ON THE SAME DAY INSPIRING A SPECIAL LETTER OF APPRECIATION FROM THE INTELLIGENCE SERVICE

[Wiley]

BLUE COCK NURP 32 KLD 298

WAS TRAINED TO OPERATE BETWEEN EAST AND SOUTH NORFOLK ON 19TH AUGUST 1940,ITS AIRCRAFT LANDED IN NORTHER IRELAND 340 MILES FROM ITS BASE IN A COMPLETELY STRANGE DIRECTION TO THE PIGEON.IT WAS RELEASED WITH A MESSAGE AND HOMED AT 10.30 HOURS THE FOLLOWING MORNING.THE WEATHER CONDITIONS DURING THE JOURNEY WERE ADVERSE

[Wiley]

RED CHEQ COCK NURP 36 RWM 107

ON 26TH MAY THIS PIGEON WAS RELEASED IN COMPLETE DARKNESS FROM AN AIRCRAFT 8,00FT AT 0.345HOURS 100 MILES FROM BASE AND HOMED 10.20 HOURS

[Wiley]

DARK CHEQUER HEN 'KENLEY LASS' DICKINS MEDAL NURP 36 JH 190

THIS PIGEON WAS THE FIRST TO BE USED FOR A SECRET COMMUNITCATION FROM ENEMY OCCUPIED FRANCE.HER FIRST TASK WAS ONE PARTICULAR DIFFICULTY TECHNICALLY AS IT INVOLVED NOT ONLY A PARACHUTE JUMP WITH THE AGENT USING HER BUT THE AGEN HAD TO MAKE A JOURNEY OF NINE MILES ON FOOT AT NIGHT ACROSS COUNTRY WITH THE PIGEON CONCEALED ON HIS PERSON,ALSO THE PIGEON HAD TO BE DETAINED FOR 11 DAYS IN CONCEALMENT IN A HOUSE BEFORE THE INFORMATION SHE WAS TO CARRY HAD TO BE OBTAINED.THE DETENTION HAD BEEN ANTICIPATED AND THE AGENT WHO HAD NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH PIGEONS HAD BEEN FULLY INSTRUCTED.eVENTUALLY RELEASED AT 08.20 HOURS ON THE 20TH OCTOBER 1940, THIS PIGEON ARRIVED IN KENLET AT 15.00 HOURS THE SAME DAY,HAVING COVERED A DISTANCE WELL OVER 300 MILES,WITH MOST VALUABLE INFORMATION.oN THE 16TH FEBRUARY 1941 SHE WAS SENT AGAIN ON AN EXACTLY SIMIULAR TASK EXCEPT THE LENGTH OF DETENTION WAS ONLY FOUR DAYS AND AGAIN HOMED IN EXCELLANT TIME ON THE DAY OF RELEASE WITH FURTHER INFORMATION

[Wiley]

RED CHEQ COCK 'COMMANDO' NURP 38 D 9849

ON THREE OCCASSIONS NAMELY IN JUNE 1942,AUGUST 1942,AND SEPTEMBER 1942 WAS SENT WITH AGENTS INTO OCCUPIED FRANCE AND ON EACH OCCASION RETURNED WITH VALUABLE INFORMATION ON THE DAY OF RELELASE.THE CONDITIONS WHICH THE PIGEON HAD TO OPERATE ON TWO OCCASSIONS WERE EXCEPTIONALLY ADVERSE

[Wiley]

RED COCK NURP 39 NRS 144 'COLOGNE' AWARDED DICKINS MEDAL

THIS PIGEON HAD BEEN ON OVER 100 OPERATIONAL BOMBER SORTIES AND HOMED FROM DIVERTED OR FORCED LANDED AIRCRAFT FROM WIDELY SEPERATED POSITIONS IN GREAT BRITAIN AT VARIOUS TIMES.ON JUNE 29TH 1943 ITS AIRCRAFT WAS LOST OVER TARGET COLGNE AND THERE WAS NO NEWS OF THE AIRCRAFT OR CREW.oN 16TH JULY THE PIGEON HOMED WITH SEVERE INJURIES INCLUDING A BROKEN BREAST BONE WHICH HAD HEALED AND  OVER WHICH THE FEATHERS HAD REGROWN SHOWING THE INJURY WAS AT LEAST A FOURTNIGHT OLD

[Wiley]

NURP 39 DX 4038

ON 13TH AUGUST 1941 THE AIRCRAFT IN WHICH THE PIGEON WAS SERVING WAS DAMAGED AND HAD TO MAKE A HURRIED FORCED LANDING IN DARKNESS ON THETFORD HEATH.THIS PIGEON AND ITS COMPANION WERE RELEASED WITH A MESSAGE GIVING THE INFORMATION AT 02.00 HOURS AND ARRIVED 13.45 HOURS THE SAME DAY A DISTANCE OF 110 MILES.THE OTHER PIGEON ALSO ARRIVED BUT TWO DAYS LATER.THIS WAS THE FIRST RAF EMERGENCY RELEASE IN COMPLETE DARKNESS

[Wiley]

BLUE COCK 'ROYAL BLUE'AWARDED DICKINS MEDAL NURP 40 GVIS 453

THIS WAS THE FIRST PIGEON DURING THE WORLD WAR TO BRING A MESSAGE FROM A FOCED LANDED AIRCRAFT ON THE CONTINENT.ON 10TH OCTOBER 1940 THIS YOUNG BIRD WAS RELEASED IN HOLLAND APROX 120 MILES FROM BASE AT 07.20 HOURS AND ARRIVED AT SANDRINGHAM AT 11.30 HOURS THE SAME DAY WITH INFORMATION REGARDING THE SITUATION OF THE CREW

[Wiley]

BLUE CHEQUER PIED HEN NURP 40 PPC 488

IN THE COURSE OF HER CAREER THIS HEN TOOK PART IN 50 OPERATIONAL SORTIES WITH FLYING BOATS.ON THE 28TH MAY 1942 FOR TEST PURPOSES SHE WAS RELEASED FROM BASE AT 12.08 HOURS.HER MESSAGE WAS DELIVERED AT 13.30 HOURS - 86 MILES IN 82 MINUTES (SPEED 1843 YARDS PER MINUTE) ON THE 28TH MAY 1943 THIS PIGEON CARRIED A MESSAGE FROM THE CHANCELLOR THE EXCHEQUER IN LONDON TO THE MAYOR OF PLYMOUTH IN CONNECTION WITH THE WINGS FOR VICTORY PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN

[Wiley]

'OLD FAITHFUL' NPS 41 NS 169

ONE OF FEW TO COMPLETE FOUR YEARS OPERATIONAL WORK WITH THE RAF THIS BIRD WAS FLOWN FROM ALL POINTS OF THE COMPASS AND RETURNED FROM NUMEROUS AIRCRAFT RELEASES OFF THE S.W COAST OF ENGLAND

[Wiley]

RED COCK 'LE DAUPHIN' NPS 41 NS 1173

SENT WITH NUMBER OF OTHER PIGEONS FOR IMPORTANT WORK DEEP INTO FRANCE.LE DAUPHIN WAS THE ONLY BIRD TO RETURN

[Wiley]

BLUE COCK 'NAVY BLUE' AWARDED DIKINS MEDAL NPS 41 NS 2862

THIS PIGEON HAD AN EXCELLENT FLYING RECORD WITH THE RAF ON AIR/SEA RESCUE SERVICE AND WAS SELECTED FOR A SPECIAL TASK IN CONNECTION WITH SEABOURNE LANDING BY SMALL RECONNAISSANCE PARTY ON THE WEST COAST OF FRANCE SOME 200 MILES FROM PLYMOUTH.THIS PIGEON WAS ISSUED ON THE 15TH JUNE 1944 IN A SMALL CONTAINER BUT THE OPERATION DID NOT TAKE PLACE UNTILL THE NIGHT OF THE 17TH/18TH JUNE.THE MESSAGE DID NOT STATE TIME OF RELEASE BUT WAS OF IMMENSE VALUE TO INTELLIGENCE BRANCH CONCERNED.THE PIGEON WAS INJURED BUT MANAGED TO REACH PLYMOUTH WHERE IT WAS PICKED UP AT 02.45 HOURS ON 19TH JUNE HENCE IT MESSAGE WAS DELIVERED.

[Wiley]

BEACHCOMBER' AWARDED DICKINS MEDAL NPS 41 NS 4230

ONE OF A PAIR RELEASED FROM THE BEACH HEAD DURING THE DIEPPER RAID HIS COMPANIONS WHERE KILLED BY ENEMY GUN FIRE

[Wiley]

MEALY HEN NPS 41 NS 5704

THIS PIGEON CARRIED AN SOS MESSAGE FROM AN AIRCRAFT APPROX 100 MILES FROM BASE UNDER CONDITIONS OF FOG AND ALMOST CONTINOUS RAIN IN 8 HOURS ON THE 22ND SEP 1941

[Wiley]

GRIZZLE COCK NPS 41 NS 8638

FOR MORE THEN TWO YEARS YEARS THIS PIGEON WORKED CONSISTENTLY IN A DISTRICT WHERE THE FLYING CONDITIONS WERE SUCH THAT COMPARATIVELY FEW PIGEONS STOOD UP TO IT,AMONG HIS BEST PERFORMANCES WERE 200 MILES FROM 200 MILES SOUTHERLY POINT FROM AIRCRAFT AND LATER FROM A FORCED LANDED AIRCRAFT IN NORTHERN IRELAND UNDER EXTREMELY BAD WEATHER WITH VISIBILITY 300 YARDS HOMING ON THE MORNING FOLLOWING LIBERATION.THIS PIGEON WAS KILLED BY A FALCON WHILST ON EXERCISE ON THE 13TH MARCH

[jimmy white]

GREAT GOING WILEY ALL GOOD INFO ,VERY INTERESTING INDEED, I THINK WE ALL SHOULD KNOW MORE ABOUT THESE GALLANT BIRDS, AND NEVER FORGET THEM EITHER,

[Wiley]

no problemo they are brillant birds,the stories i hear from an old fancier who got some of these pigeons after the war ended they were some brilliant birds after the war being broken out and being raced.i will post some more up of dickins medal winners and those that wasnt awarded but due to there feats they done should have been awarded with some.there stories are interesting how what ever the weather they would jus go

[jimmy white]

WILEY YOULL SEE THE DICKEN MEDAL WINNERS ON THIS TOPIC, BUT THERE ARE PLENTY OTHER PIGEONS AWARDED DIFFERANT MEDALS,,,FANTASTIC BIRDS

[Wiley]

BLUE CHEQ HEN NPS 41 NS9979

DURING 5 YEARS RAF SERVICE THIS HEN WAS NEVER LATE EVEN WHEN ON ONE OCCASSION AN ENCOUNTER WITH A HAWK AND REQUIRED 13 STITCHES.ON ONE TASK UNDER FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS SHE HOMED AT A MILE A MINUTE.IN 1945 SHE WAS PREPARED FOR  A TASK OF SPECIAL HAZAD DROPPED BY PARACHUTE IN ENEMY OCCUPIED TERRITORY MORE THEN 300 MILES DISTANT AND HOMED SUCCESSFULLY AFTER SEVERAL DAYS DETENTIONS UNDER CONDITIONS OF HARDSHIP

[Wiley]

'BEY OF TUNIS' BLUE CHEQ PIED COCK NPS 42 25946

THIS PIGEON CARRIED A FIRST REPORT OF THE FALL OF TUNIS ON BRITISH N.A EX FORCE.SETTLED TO A NEW LOFT WORKED ON D.R SERVICE THROUGH BAD WEATHER OVER IMPOSSIBLE ROADS,32 MILES

[Wiley]

BLUE CHEQ COCK 'CHIEFLY' NURP 41 KB343

ON THE 14TH NOVEMBER 1942 THIS PIGEON WAS RELEASED FROM AIRCRAFT DISTANCE 150 MILES FROM BASE IN SEMI DARKNESS WITH VISIBILLITY ABOUT 100 YARDS HOMED WITH HIS MESSAGE IN 5 HOURS. ON THE 15TH MAY 1943 THIS PIGEON WAS RELEASED FROM A DIVERTED AIRCRAFT IN NORTHERN IRELAND 400 MILES FROM ITS BASE IN A DIRECTION REMOTE FROM THAT THE PIGEON HAD BEEN TRAINED.LIBERATED 10.35 HOURS WITH A SHOULDER WIND ALL THE WAY 343 HOMED AT 08.45 HOURS THE FOLLOWING MORNING.61 OPERATIONAL TRIPS OVER ENEMY TERRITORY,ASWELL AS MANY OTHER EXCELLENT PERFORMANCES

[Wiley]

'NEILSON' DARK CHEQ PIED COCK NURP41 EAN 385

A MOST CONSISTANT RELIABLE PERFORMER ON SERVICE FOR 5 YEARS PRIOR TO 1945 HE HAD FLOWN FROM A DISTANCE BETWEEN 300 AND 500 MILES ON FIVE OCCASSIONS IN GOOD TIME.IN 1945 HE WAS SELECTED FOR A HAZADOUS TASK DROPPED BY PARACHUTE IN THE RUHR POCKET MORE THAN 300 MILES DISTANT AND AFTER SEVERAL DAYS DETENTION HOMED SUCCESSFULLY ONE OF THE EARLIEST ARRIVALS

[Wiley]

'MISS MAJOR' BLACK PIED HEN SURP42 L2702

A MOST CONSISTENT PIGEON HER BEST PERFORMANCE ON SERVICE OF MANY BEING 200 MILES AIR RELEASED FROM AIR CRAFT IN 3 HOURS 30 MINS