A PIGEON SERVICE

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 60, Issue 4234, 22 January 1940, Page 7

A PIGEON SERVICE

INVALUABLE IN WAR WORK. Horses and dogs (chiefly Alsatians) now go into war to help man, and one bird is found particularly useful—the homing pigeon. Already a national pigeon service has been formed in Australia for the present war as a means of communication and owners all over the coun ■ try have been co-operating. It is an commented the Brisbane Courier-Mail. It may be remembered that during the last war about 2000 trained homing pigeons were sent to Europe from Australia, and of course thousands more were used in other countries on both sides. 'Where communications break down these birds give most valuable service in carrying vital messages. The war pigeons undoubtedly saved very many lives, and they will again. After the Great War both Belgium and Hungary erected memorials to the homing pigeons. One British bird was mentioned in despatches. One American pigeon was awarded the D.S.C. These unerring couriers fly over enemy territory straight back “home,” and undeveloped films are often cafrried by them. ■ They

may be said to form an intelligence corps all to themselves.

News now eomes to hand that about 2000 owners in Australia have already about 100,000 homing pigeons available for war service, and the scheme is by no means fully organised yet. The sport of pigeon racing has been steadily growing everywhere. I understand that there are more than 4000 owners of more than 200,000 homing pigeons in this country. Soon the trained birds will be on active war service for us.

A pigeon has been known to make a homing light of 1000 miles. Out here the prevalence of birds of prey has been a serious setback to the sport, so that many racers are snapped up en route. The valiant flights still at the front. We read that English homing pigeons are now on service with the R.A.F. scouting planes over the North Sea and the Atlantic, some of the King’s birds from the famous Sandringham loft among them. British fanciers are only too glad to supply the birds required, and the Air Ministry has organised what is called the National Pigeon Service. Many thousands from Australia will soon be doing their bit along the trackless airlines. Their unerring homing instinct is a phenomenon that science has not been able to explain.