PIGEONS FOR SERVICE.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 August 1918, Page 3

PIGEONS FOR SERVICE.

Somo JJSO pigeons, a portion of the first batch of 500 for service ou the •Western Front, have been despatched from New Zealand. The birds are yearlings and specially selected with a view to training in new lofts. Wien the new season’s birds are available they will be sent instead of yearlings, as the younger the birds, the easier it is to accustom them to their now homes. tAn idea of the work in which the birds arc engaged is afforded by the following extract from “Flight”:—“The birds of the Naval Pjgeon Service, numbering several thousand, have long since taken a recognised place in the war, and have repeatedly been the means of saving lives at sea. An air patrol fell in with some German seaplanes, and messages were received at a seaplane station in Flanders. The first was: “Short shot down 10 miles N.N.E. Nieuport. One Hundown. My tanks shot. French t.b.d. on its way. Send fighters quick.’ Then followed another pigeon with: ‘Am shot down. Hit in tank radiator. Observer dead. Am unhurt. Please send small craft.’ A third message was: ‘Machine turning to port. Have jettisoned everything. Am on wing tip. Sea calm. Machine has seemingly steadied. Nothing in sight. I' think machine will float a long time. Send small craft at once. Land ’bus lias just made one circuit, hut I don’t think he saw me. M.v love to by mother. If machine sinks 1 will swim to a buoy close by.’ Ninety-five per cent., of messages sent by pigeon have been delivered.”