大象传媒

The reason for the following story is to help the members of the general public to realise the part that the humble Pigeon played along with their handlers in the saving of human life
during the 1939-45 war. Being involved in the
'Animals in War Memorial' to be erected in Park
Lane,London later next year at an estimated cost of 1拢 million pounds.The following is part of the account of the true stories of the
National Pigeon Service,Army, and RAF Pigeon
Service that played such a vital part in helping
to defeat the forces of Germany and Japan in time of our country's greatest danger. Many of the stories remain untold because of the 'Classified'regulations that still apply for
reasons of security,so I can only refer to those that I personally have knowledge of.Now the birds that I supplird to the NPS were mainly
young birds so the problem of birds returning to my loft was non existant,unlike the older birds and more experienced ones that were required for active operations by the Army and the Royal Air Force.It was for this reason that an alarm was fitted to the loft to record any arrivals at whatever time they might appear carrying their message containers.Some of my birds were used by the Service lofts for breeding their own young birds which were later dispatched to other units that required them.
The operations in the Middle East were expanding
and needed a supply of additional birds which was under the capable direction of Major Neilson
Hutton. Here at home Sqd Leader Lea Rayner was the king pin in advising and the direction of our winged messingers by Coastal and Bomber Command. Apart from these operations the NPS had the duty to supply birds for 'Special Ops' with the S.O.E.which was the brain child of
'Winston' to operate a 'SECRET ARMY'in occupied Europe to bring back information from Allied agents who proved to be a thorn in the side of the Jerry forces. Radio's were also used but had the disadvantage of being intercepted by the 'Jerries'who were then able to locate and catch these agents at the cost of their lives.
Some of these radios were put out of action and
damaged beyond repair when they landed with the
agents Parachuted into enemy territory,the pigeons, two of which were carried in a special container being the only other means of communication with London.The 'INFO' that reached 'Wing House'in London was vital to these operations and gave us knoweledge of many
secret weapons that the 'Jerries' were about to use against us at any given time.Many exploits of our Winged Messengers I have written about in my book which I hope to have published in the near future and will make interesting reading regarding the expliots of our wartime birds.I give one instance of the saving of 11 lives by 'WHITE VISION'who was awarded the Animal VC[ the Dicken Medal]for saving the RAF
Air Crew in Oct 1943 under exceptionally difficult conditions.A flying boat ditched in the sea off the Hebrides at 8.20am but due to the thick mist and bad weather Air/Sea rescue operations was called off.At5pm that afternoon
White Vision arrived at her loft with the message giving the position of the ditched aircraft.The search was now resumed, the aircraft located, and the crew rescued.
WHITE VISION had flown over 60 miles of heavy seas against a head wind of 25mph in poor visibility of some 100yds when she was released,and was only a 300yrd visibility when she arrived.This effort saved 11 RAF aircrew lives.More stories in my 'MEMOIRS'.
Freddy Dyke.

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