THE KING’S PIGEONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 December 1939, Page 10

THE KING’S PIGEONS

NOW ON ACTIVE SERVICE. The King’s pigeons, from the famous Sandringham loft, have already seen active service in the war. Bombers and reconnaissance planes have carried the Royal birds with them on flights. ' When a submarine was sighted by a plane pilot who feared that a radio message might be intercepted he released a pigeon with the news. They are also used when a plane makes a forced landing in desolate parts. They fly directly to the aerodromes with a distress message. “Ten thousand owners have registered their birds for national service.” said the secretary of the National Homing Union. This means that 200.000 pigeons are available. Some 600,000 are needed. It is hoped that 40.000 more fanciers will shortly come forward. A grant of £l5 is paid to the owners of pigeons accepted for service of the Air Ministry. It is learnt that the King has asked to be supplied with an official National Pigeon Service badge. Brave deeds were performed by birds on active service during the last war, although their employment in the early stages 25 years ago was discouraged by Lord Kitchener.

He feared the danger of their use for inter-communication by spies, especially as the Germans were known to have a mobile pigeon service. Indeed a German started a loft in Doughty Street, London. The birds he trained had to be killed and their trainer was never heard of again. Wireless has cut down the variety of services for which a war pigeon is required. Twenty-five years ago 99 per cent of bird messages were safely delivered. In the battle of the Somme the French alone used 5000 pigeons, and only 2 per cent of those released failed to return, notwithstanding terrific and incessant shellfire. In the siege of Paris nearly 70 years ago, the French made extensive use of them. The Germans counter-attacked with hawks, which pursued the pigeons and killed hundreds. When all signals, even radio, break down, the pigeon comes into his own. The authorities have tried fitting a gas mask on the pigeon's head for a special emergency. But the bird which is trained to submit to many things, does not like a mask and resents the curb on its freedom.