大象传媒

I write this story as part of the exploits of the humble racing Pigeon who also helped in the defeat of the 'Jerries' and the 'Japs'in the war
that took place in 1939-45.I hope that just this
one story will help the general public to become
aware of the life saving exploits that our birds
carried out during the time of our country's
greatest danger.Being involved in the 'Animals in War'Memorial to be erected in Park Lane in
London next year,it will depict the Animal VC
winners of the coveted DICKEN MEDAL.A total of
55 VCs have been awarded and 32 of these have been awarded to our beloved Pigeons.
Now the birds that I supplied to the Army and RAF for service were mostly squeakers, so the problem of them returning to my loft was none existant,unlike the older birds that were required for active service immediately.IT was for this reason the loft was fitted with an alarm system to record any arrivals at whatever time they may appear carrying their message containers.The Army and the Royal Air Force required birds for the expanding operations mainly in the Middle East which I believe was under the direction of Major Neilson Hutton.Here
at home things were under the capable direction of Sqd Leader W.DLea Rayner who was responsible
for the use of our winged messengers by Coastal
and Bomber Command.The N.P.S did involve other duties by supplying birds for special operation
with SOE,which was organised by 'WINSTON'to operate with the 'Secret Army'of our agents on the continent to bring back information regarding Troop movements,Air fields,Secret Weapons,Flying Bomb sites and much vital 'INFO'
that was so valuable to HQ in LONDON. These agents were also helping the 'Underground'units
to organise sabotage against the German forces
who become a thorn in the side of the 'Jerries'
Our birds were the other means of communication
along with the radio,but the radio signals were
easily picked up by the Germans and if the agents was caught they were shot after interrogation.I do explain more detail of 'OPS'
carried out against the Nazis in my book of 'Memoirs' which I have just written and hope to get published in the near future.Now here I would like to refer to a bird that saved the lives of 11 Aircrew of a ditched Flying Boat in
October 1943 just off the Hebrides in very bad
weather which had already hindered the search.
At 8.20am the aircraft ditched in the sea in poor weather and later released 'WHITE VISION'
one of two birds carried aboard the aircraft.
At 5pm that afternoon she arrived at her loft
with the message giving the position of the stricken aircraft,the search was now resumed and
the crew saved.'White Vision'had flown over 60
miles of heavy seas against a head wind of 25mph in poor visibility of 100yds when she was released,and only a 300yd visibility when she
arrived.This effort earned her the Dicken Medal
award,a noble effort in the saving of 11 human
lives.Many more human lives were saved in various theatres of war and which we should forever be grateful to such a bird that seems to be a nondescript in the eyes of the general public. Perhaps the Animals in War Memorial will bring a greater awareness of the debt we owe to the humble Pigeon.

Freddy Dyke.

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