PIGEON HERO OF THE WAR

Waipa Post, Volume 42, Issue 3303, 30 May 1931, Page 8

PIGEON HERO OF THE WAR

'■:.-■ "Rupert," one of the most famous ; of Britain's war-time carrier pigeons, is dead. Since the Armistic he had - "been living a life of ease at Twickenham, but he grew careless when ': gunning himself, and paid the penalty by falling victim to a prowling ;•' „cat (says the Sunday Express), i;" Rupert," who had been specially '.\ [mentioned in official records, flew 'through shell fire on the Western ■ -front m&iy times, and on one occasion had his beak shot away. His | death leaves only two survivors of -|r the pigeon carrier service. They W iare *' Old Bill " and " Lightning," both K:'' aged more than 16 years. " Light- : ning!" is lifting at Clapton. He rS - : could tell thrilling stories of the war '?■■ waged on enemy submarines in the .North Sea. * During his active ser- !" vice he flew many thousands of miles B to let the naval authorities at Harh"' wich knowof engagements with uni; der-water craft. For three years \ '■••" "Old Bill" was" attached to G.H.Q. h'- ih France, and more than once the ■. ■ message he {carried through barrages {■'■■ enabled lines of communication to be | kept-open during critical periods of f}'[ ihe; war.; '■■■■■■'. -' ; -.- : . - . •■>-