swilcox Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 DICKIN MEDAL WINNERS 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.†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.†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.†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.†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.â€
pigeonpete Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 Good post stuart, Hope some general public read this and take notice ;-)
blaz Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 there is another bird that i was reading about while at jimmy whites .i have all ready forgot the name i am sure she was french .but i do remember the pigeon getting the message through and saving 200 plus soldiers. i am sure her name means MY FREIND.
Guest numpty01 Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 fantastic bit info and very heart tugging for the ones who remmber the war this fact was used in 1978 in raceing pictorial against the same thing we fight today hawks and the threats our birds are under and again inthe 90.s with the same result nothing ?? im just trying to be practical here
swilcox Posted July 9, 2009 Author Report Posted July 9, 2009 If you read down the list it can be thought provoking, you can almost feel pride in those birds and the PIGEON FANCIERS that bred them, pigeon racing is a long standing traditional hobby which has given thousands pleasure and our country service in 2 wars, it down to each and everyone of us to maintain the sport for future generations!!!!
Guest numpty01 Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 If you read down the list it can be thought provoking, you can almost feel pride in those birds and the PIGEON FANCIERS that bred them, pigeon racing is a long standing traditional hobby which has given thousands pleasure and our country service in 2 wars, it down to each and everyone of us to maintain the sport for future generations!!!!and i fully agree the emotional side or the pride and honer each and everyone of us in this sport should have for what these birds did in the war ? however as you youer self know the problems in this sport is caused by apathy and the lack of lets get it sorted i will give you just one instance from the petition of all the replys from bhw only four are from welsh fanciers yet we suffer more than most through the peri attacks what do you do to get round this?? :-/
swilcox Posted July 9, 2009 Author Report Posted July 9, 2009 Are we missing something here; Pigeon racing has no real impact or penetration to the vast majority of the population. The sport was at its greatest in the 50’s when not only was it affordable but a whole generation had knowledge of their abilities due to efforts in world war II !!!! Now one loft racing can in theory attract non fanciers and in a way grow knowledge of the sport but in reality its still mainly the existing membership that participate. Im sure that 90% of 10 year old kids don’t even know pigeons come home, so how can we rectify this and how can we use pigeons maybe in a none racing way to engage the public????? Blue Peter?? Computor Games (we all remember dick dasterly and mutely) Maybe we could ask the National Lottery to design a game that indicates you have 3 pigeons home and you win the lottery(scratch card)??? We could ask the queen to incorporate a pigeon release where possible into state functions and parades?? Plus the Olympics or before Premiership Football games (great way to get a free ticket) School fun days. Sending scores back to the club house on major golf events can be done by pigeon??? We can through the RPRA do talks to pensioners clubs, send literature to soon to be retired people (as we know these are more likely to take up the sport than kids). See there are avenues that can be explored if we had a professional PR outfit to represent the sport! P.S. No the problems of our sport are caused by negativity!!!!!!!!!!
Delboy Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 Pity we couldnt get this list of gallant, life saving pigeons in the papers. Descendants of these birds are being slaughtered everyday by peregrines and sparrowhawks.I wonder how the public would view this injustice?
Guest numpty01 Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 let us all know how you get on with all or one of them ???? negativity ;D ;D ;Dno its the same old thing as always im alright jack as long as someone else doing it not me apathy untill its to late then its blame
Guest HighSpeedLofts Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 Yes they played a good part in the war but today the pigeon has no place in war does it tell you how many birds were released and never made it? i bet its more than that made it
pjc Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 Pity we couldnt get this list of gallant, life saving pigeons in the papers. Descendants of these birds are being slaughtered everyday by peregrines and sparrowhawks.I wonder how the public would view this injustice? There is nothing to stop anybody articulate enough to write an article about these gallent birds and submit it to the national press. If anybody is in the Milton Keynes area go and visit the pigeon exhibition at Bletchley Park, loads of info that could be used for articles.
Guest numpty01 Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 Yes they played a good part in the war but today the pigeon has no place in war does it tell you how many birds were released and never made it? i bet its more than that made it listen it dont matter if thousand were sent one got through and saved the life of thousands get life will you and tday the pigeon is being used to save life.s by carying things to hospital and for the ministry of defence and for another place in cheltinham
Guest HighSpeedLofts Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 no chris you get a life im just stating that more birds probably never made it resulting in deaths for bird and man your only hearing about the ones that made it how many men died as a result of birds not making it still theres no room for them in todays wars too fast a furious
Guest IB Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 Yes they played a good part in the war but today the pigeon has no place in war does it tell you how many birds were released and never made it? i bet its more than that made it The last time 'pigeons in war' was raised on TV, a month-or-so ago, the returns from memory were stated to be very high - around 90% and yes, pigeons are still employed by at least 3 country's armed forces. There's a thread on here on how they trained those 'war' pigeons to get through, despite those odds.
Guest IB Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 there is another bird that i was reading about while at jimmy whites .i have all ready forgot the name i am sure she was french .but i do remember the pigeon getting the message through and saving 200 plus soldiers. i am sure her name means MY FREIND. Cher Ami?
Guest HighSpeedLofts Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 The last time 'pigeons in war' was raised on TV, a month-or-so ago, the returns from memory were stated to be very high - around 90% and yes, pigeons are still employed by at least 3 country's armed forces. There's a thread on here on how they trained those 'war' pigeons to get through, despite those odds. what 3 countrys still use them and i doubt it will be in active service on the warfield as troops in afghanistan when calling in air strikes to save there lifes use radio and not pigeons and theres no amount of training you can give a bird to dodge bullets just lucky they never got hit
Guest Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 Are we missing something here; Pigeon racing has no real impact or penetration to the vast majority of the population. The sport was at its greatest in the 50’s when not only was it affordable but a whole generation had knowledge of their abilities due to efforts in world war II !!!! Now one loft racing can in theory attract non fanciers and in a way grow knowledge of the sport but in reality its still mainly the existing membership that participate. Im sure that 90% of 10 year old kids don’t even know pigeons come home, so how can we rectify this and how can we use pigeons maybe in a none racing way to engage the public????? Blue Peter?? Computor Games (we all remember dick dasterly and mutely) Maybe we could ask the National Lottery to design a game that indicates you have 3 pigeons home and you win the lottery(scratch card)??? We could ask the queen to incorporate a pigeon release where possible into state functions and parades?? Plus the Olympics or before Premiership Football games (great way to get a free ticket) School fun days. Sending scores back to the club house on major golf events can be done by pigeon??? We can through the RPRA do talks to pensioners clubs, send literature to soon to be retired people (as we know these are more likely to take up the sport than kids). See there are avenues that can be explored if we had a professional PR outfit to represent the sport! P.S. No the problems of our sport are caused by negativity!!!!!!!!!! Stuart, you have obviously given an awful lot of serious thought to this. I have to say though that pigeon fanciers can be their own worst enemy when it comes to helping themselves. If an outside source was asking for help, we pigeon fanciers would all be united, in giving, to that cause. Yet when it comes to unity amongst ourselves it is seriously lacking. If fanciers today would only rekindle the comradeship that was apparent amongst all the man and women of the two Wars, our sport would be a lot better for it. Sadly I feel the main reason our sport is in decline is due to the fact that we are not ALL in it for the common cause. THE LOVE OF PIGEONS.
Guest numpty01 Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 true bob true money is the most prominant thing today and how we can get :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/
rick Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 i heard that the only way saddam hussain evaded capture for so long was by communicating with pigeons.
Guest Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 true bob true money is the most prominant thing today and how we can get :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ Well I was careful not to mention it, but as you have, yes money is heavily involved and is the main driving force behind a lot of pigeon keepers. That said there are also many amongst us who give willingly of our time, effort, knowledge and donate good pigeons freely for the benefit of others and not their own pockets.
Guest numpty01 Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 that again is very true bob that is the ones of us that cant really afford to mate but dont take and not give
Guest Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 that again is very true bob that is the ones of us that cant really afford to mate but dont take and not give Well I have been a giver all my life, but I don't blow my own trumpet, I will leave that to others. I will just continue to go about doing what I have always done for the sport FOC.
swilcox Posted July 9, 2009 Author Report Posted July 9, 2009 Money is part and parcel of the modern commercail world. Bob the reason i posted this list was to demonstrate that previously as a sport we pulled together rallyed for a cause of greatness, can we again find that common bond and unite as a body of people, of that im not sure!!!!! Chris i will probaly upset you by saying this but at times you do nothing to help real progressive conversation on this site, i know your a good bloke and a passionate pigeon fancier but some times a bit of positive thinking will help things along, lets all take a step forward and put this discussion on the front foot. In reality things are good at the moment as you have pointed out, but in reality thats down to attitudes and attitudes can be changed!! Stuart
Guest Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 Money is part and parcel of the modern commercail world. Pigeon racing is NOT a commercial business in my eyes, it is a hobby/pastime in which to make friends and enjoy the passion of racing our birds against each other, not fill our pockets. Bob the reason i posted this list was to demonstrate that previously as a sport we pulled together rallyed for a cause of greatness, can we again find that common bond and unite as a body of people, of that im not sure!!!!! Stuart That is the point I was trying to make Stuart, but perhaps I didn't make myself clear. Can we unite as a body of people?? ...YES ..... but it will have to be done NOW, not 10 years down the track.
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