The Brave War Pigeons: The Feathered Messengers Who Saved Lives in WW2

The Brave War Pigeons: The Feathered Messengers Who Saved Lives in WW2

I have recently told you about some of the incredible animals and pigeons that served during the Second World War, and today I want to explain exactly what it is that they did and just how important they were to the war effort.

When many of us think of heroes of the Second World War, we rightfully think of the amazing courageous men that served. But there were also other heroes, not only human ones. They were the small, feathered messengers. War pigeons may seem unusual today, especially in our world of modern technology, but during the war they became lifesavers.
Before the Second World War, pigeon keeping was already a really popular hobby, especially in the UK. A lot of families kept homing pigeons, they bred them, trained them and raced them. Pigeon racing was really popular. There were many clubs and competitions all across the country. This became hugely useful when the war started. It meant that there were a lot of trained birds and skilled pigeon keepers who could help the military.

Most war pigeons came through the National Pigeon Service, which was set up in the United Kingdom during the war. It used trained homing pigeons from civilian pigeon keepers, most of whom willingly offered or loaned their birds to help the war effort. In some cases, pigeons could also be requisitioned for service.
For some pigeon keepers, letting the military use their birds must have been difficult and some of them never returned. Many owners were probably proud to help the war effort, others may have been worried or heartbroken about sending them into danger.

Messenger pigeons have a very special skill. They can find their way back home from unfamiliar places far away from their home. This made them incredibly useful. Before a mission, pigeons would be taken from their loft and transported with soldiers, sailors, aircrews, or resistance fighters. A message could be written on tiny paper, placed inside a small capsule that was attached to the pigeon’s leg, and the bird would be released to fly home. It could often be the difference between life and death.

During the war, radios could break, batteries could fail to work and messages and signals could be intercepted by the enemy. In these dangerous conditions, pigeons provided a very reliable backup. They carried messages from ships stranded at sea, from aircraft that had crashed, and from troops that may be trapped behind enemy lines. They were also used by resistance groups in occupied Europe to pass secret intelligence back to Britain.

The pigeons had to face terrifying conditions. They had to fly through storms and into smoke. They had to do mission while there was explosions and enemy fire around them. The enemy even targeted them to stop the messages from getting through, and the Germans even used trained hawks to try to intercept them. But many of these courageous little birds still continued to fly. They were driven by instinct and by training.
Some of their stories are remarkable.

One famous pigeon was Cher Ami. He served in the First World War. He showed people how valuable messenger pigeons could be in war.

In the Second World War, Mary of Exeter became legendary. She was wounded multiple times and she was even attacked by a hawk. She thankfully survived and continued to deliver messages. Her injuries were so severe at times that there were concerns she would not recover, but she kept going.

Another extraordinary pigeon was G.I. Joe. In 1943, British troops had captured a village in Calvi Risorta, but Allied aircraft had not been told and they were preparing to bomb the area. G.I. Joe flew around 20 miles in about 20 minutes carrying the urgent message to stop the attack. The planned bombing was thankfully stopped just in time. He is often credited as saving more than 1,000 Allied soldiers and civilians.

There was also Commando, who delivered messages from occupied France on several dangerous missions. Each successful flight helped provide intelligence to Allied forces.
It is easy to forget that these humble birds had absolutely no understanding of politics, borders, or war. They did not choose to serve. They were sent into danger by humans. But they saved countless lives. They became heroes.

The bravery of animals did not go unnoticed. Some were awarded the Dickin Medal for outstanding courage and service. The medal was created in 1943 by People's Dispensary for Sick Animals. It is often called the animal Victoria Cross. It recognised the incredible risks animals took for our freedom.

These were small, vulnerable creatures in an enormous global conflict, but they made a real difference.

Today, pigeons often have a bad reputation. Many people see them as dirty or as a nuisance in towns and cities so it is easy to overlook them. But this can make us forget that these humble birds once helped to save many lives during the war. So when you look at the humble birds around us today, think about their amazing sacrifice.

Had you realised just how important pigeons were during the war?