The usefulness of pigeons, particularly Rock Pigeons as messengers lies solely on their migration patterns. A pigeon will always return to its place of birth when released and this makes for a perfect vessel of communication due to the low probability of interception.
Pigeons in wartime were first used during the Franco-Prussian War at a time when Paris was under a four month siege by the Prussians. All communication channels were controlled by The Prussians and the French had little to any form of battlefield communications to coordinate counter-attacks and defenses to the Capital city.
Initially during the siege, pigeons were taken out of Paris via hot air balloon, where upon arrival at their destination, would be released again so they could make their way back to Paris. This was a form of "testing the waters" to see if the pigeons would make it over Prussian lines and into Paris successfully. It was a great success and these operations led to the common usage of the carrier pigeon during the Franco-Prussian war, which was also a pivotal point in wartime intelligence operations.
Pigeons were rounded up from all over Paris and sent to the North of France and vice versa, which helped fuel the French war effort and brought on the advent of Microfilm usage in wartime intelligence operations and communications. The War Pigeon made it's debut during this war and left a footprint that would last well over a century.
The use of War Pigeons saw a massive hike in popularity during World War 1, again by the French which advanced 72 pigeon lofts with their troops at The First Battle of the Marne. What was remarkable about this battle was the nature of the warfare. The French troops successfully stopped the German advance and began pushing the Germans back further and further, all the while their pigeons were still on route from previous orders. Even though the troops had since mobilized from their original positions, the pigeons managed to return to their individual lofts, undeterred by this new change in location.
It was not only the French that adopted the pigeons into their ranks, but the Americans also utilized the pigeons in the war effort. Pigeons were deployed as part of the U.S Army Signal Corps and were used to such an extent that it brought rise to the first wartime decorated pigeon, Cher Ami.
Yes, you're reading that right. A pigeon received the Croix de Guerre for its service during World War 1, and for good reason.
On October 3rd, 1918 the U.S 77th Division was trapped and isolated by German forces in the Argonne Forest. More than 500 men were met with a prolonged barrage of artillery and infantry fire from the Germans, and of the 500 men that embarked on that operation, only 194 remained, trapped and under fire not only from the Germans, but also from their own allies.
Cut off not only from war supplies, but also military rations and water, the division found itself in a horrible position that could not hold much longer. Out of the troop's pigeon lofts, only 3 pigeons remained, with two being shot down by Germans while attempting to communicate the division's distress messages.
Charles White Whittlesy, in command of the division made several unsuccessful attempts at communication through the usage of runners which were either shot down or captured by the German forces. As a last resort, Whittlesy turned to his last racing pigeon, Cher Ami.
Under fire from their own forces due to a lack of communication of position, Cher Ami was dispatched with the following message:
"We are along the road parallel to 276.4. Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For heaven's sake, stop it."
Cher Ami's journey was not without its own problems, because as soon as she took flight, she came under heavy fire from the Germans which spotted her. With bullets flying past her continuously, she was eventually hit and dropped out of the skies.
Like a scene out of a movie, Cher Ami took flight once again. Mangled and bloodied, this pigeon managed to make the 40km flight in a mere 25mins where her message not only alleviated the artillery barrage on the troops, but also helped relay their location which led to their rescue.
Cher Ami sustained a wound through the breast, was blinded in one eye and her left leg was hanging on by the tendons, but she managed to deliver this crucial message when it was needed most. Army medics fought vigorously to save her life and made Cher Ami a hero of the 77th division. She earned a Croix de Guerre for this valiant effort and is immortalized today in the Smithsonian Institution.
War Pigeons were not only limited to ground forces, but were also used as a vital communication tool in aerial warfare during World War I. The United States Navy held multiple pigeon stations in France with over 1500 pigeons in total being used. The pigeons traveled in the aircraft and were used to relay important information back to land, such as enemy location, sizes of forces and even distress signals without the plane needing to make a return. This meant more operational time for the pilots and less chance of interception by enemy troops.
World War II saw the highest usage of War Pigeons in history, with over 250,000 racing pigeons being deployed in the war by the United Kingdom alone. This large use of the homing pigeon during the war inspired Walt Disney's 2005 animated film Valiant, which follows the story of a woodland pigeon that aspires to join the Royal Homing Pigeon Service during World War II, The story portrays the struggles of these pigeons in service as they try to fulfill their duties in spite of the threat of Germany's Falcon Brigade.
While it's an entertaining kid's story, there is some truth to this fictitious tale.
Falcons were indeed trained to intercept messenger pigeons, but not by Germans. MI5, a British Intelligence and Security Agency trained special squad of Peregrine Falcons to intercept Nazi carrier pigeons and interrupt specialized communications.
As many as 32 pigeons received the Dickin Medal for their roles in World War II. Many of these birds not only saved the lives of hundreds of soldiers, but also relayed vital information between battalions that helped the advancement of the war effort. They formed the backbone of communications, helped immensely during intelligence operations through the use of photography and assisted in filling a void that was present in wartime correspondence.
Today, technology has made War Pigeons irrelevant in modern combat. Instant communication, drone surveillance and satellite imagining means that these once valuable animals have been retired from the usage in warfare and are bred for recreational purposes. While they may not find a place in today's armies, the pigeon will always be prized for its endurance and determination in finding its way back home.
Initially during the siege, pigeons were taken out of Paris via hot air balloon, where upon arrival at their destination, would be released again so they could make their way back to Paris. This was a form of "testing the waters" to see if the pigeons would make it over Prussian lines and into Paris successfully. It was a great success and these operations led to the common usage of the carrier pigeon during the Franco-Prussian war, which was also a pivotal point in wartime intelligence operations.
Pigeons were rounded up from all over Paris and sent to the North of France and vice versa, which helped fuel the French war effort and brought on the advent of Microfilm usage in wartime intelligence operations and communications. The War Pigeon made it's debut during this war and left a footprint that would last well over a century.
The use of War Pigeons saw a massive hike in popularity during World War 1, again by the French which advanced 72 pigeon lofts with their troops at The First Battle of the Marne. What was remarkable about this battle was the nature of the warfare. The French troops successfully stopped the German advance and began pushing the Germans back further and further, all the while their pigeons were still on route from previous orders. Even though the troops had since mobilized from their original positions, the pigeons managed to return to their individual lofts, undeterred by this new change in location.
It was not only the French that adopted the pigeons into their ranks, but the Americans also utilized the pigeons in the war effort. Pigeons were deployed as part of the U.S Army Signal Corps and were used to such an extent that it brought rise to the first wartime decorated pigeon, Cher Ami.
Yes, you're reading that right. A pigeon received the Croix de Guerre for its service during World War 1, and for good reason.
On October 3rd, 1918 the U.S 77th Division was trapped and isolated by German forces in the Argonne Forest. More than 500 men were met with a prolonged barrage of artillery and infantry fire from the Germans, and of the 500 men that embarked on that operation, only 194 remained, trapped and under fire not only from the Germans, but also from their own allies.
Cut off not only from war supplies, but also military rations and water, the division found itself in a horrible position that could not hold much longer. Out of the troop's pigeon lofts, only 3 pigeons remained, with two being shot down by Germans while attempting to communicate the division's distress messages.
Charles White Whittlesy, in command of the division made several unsuccessful attempts at communication through the usage of runners which were either shot down or captured by the German forces. As a last resort, Whittlesy turned to his last racing pigeon, Cher Ami.
Under fire from their own forces due to a lack of communication of position, Cher Ami was dispatched with the following message:
"We are along the road parallel to 276.4. Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For heaven's sake, stop it."
Cher Ami's journey was not without its own problems, because as soon as she took flight, she came under heavy fire from the Germans which spotted her. With bullets flying past her continuously, she was eventually hit and dropped out of the skies.
Like a scene out of a movie, Cher Ami took flight once again. Mangled and bloodied, this pigeon managed to make the 40km flight in a mere 25mins where her message not only alleviated the artillery barrage on the troops, but also helped relay their location which led to their rescue.
Cher Ami sustained a wound through the breast, was blinded in one eye and her left leg was hanging on by the tendons, but she managed to deliver this crucial message when it was needed most. Army medics fought vigorously to save her life and made Cher Ami a hero of the 77th division. She earned a Croix de Guerre for this valiant effort and is immortalized today in the Smithsonian Institution.
War Pigeons were not only limited to ground forces, but were also used as a vital communication tool in aerial warfare during World War I. The United States Navy held multiple pigeon stations in France with over 1500 pigeons in total being used. The pigeons traveled in the aircraft and were used to relay important information back to land, such as enemy location, sizes of forces and even distress signals without the plane needing to make a return. This meant more operational time for the pilots and less chance of interception by enemy troops.
World War II saw the highest usage of War Pigeons in history, with over 250,000 racing pigeons being deployed in the war by the United Kingdom alone. This large use of the homing pigeon during the war inspired Walt Disney's 2005 animated film Valiant, which follows the story of a woodland pigeon that aspires to join the Royal Homing Pigeon Service during World War II, The story portrays the struggles of these pigeons in service as they try to fulfill their duties in spite of the threat of Germany's Falcon Brigade.
While it's an entertaining kid's story, there is some truth to this fictitious tale.
Falcons were indeed trained to intercept messenger pigeons, but not by Germans. MI5, a British Intelligence and Security Agency trained special squad of Peregrine Falcons to intercept Nazi carrier pigeons and interrupt specialized communications.
As many as 32 pigeons received the Dickin Medal for their roles in World War II. Many of these birds not only saved the lives of hundreds of soldiers, but also relayed vital information between battalions that helped the advancement of the war effort. They formed the backbone of communications, helped immensely during intelligence operations through the use of photography and assisted in filling a void that was present in wartime correspondence.
Today, technology has made War Pigeons irrelevant in modern combat. Instant communication, drone surveillance and satellite imagining means that these once valuable animals have been retired from the usage in warfare and are bred for recreational purposes. While they may not find a place in today's armies, the pigeon will always be prized for its endurance and determination in finding its way back home.
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