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The Poilus: A Tale of Two War Pigeons
Many of the pigeons that participated in the Great War received names related to the conflict. The first American pigeon to deliver a message from the trenches was named Gunpowder, while British soldiers called one prominent bird Dreadnought. It should not come as a surprise, then, to learn that at least two pigeon heroes of…
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“You’re in the Army Now!”: When Pigeons Get Drafted
In discussions about military pigeons, little attention has been paid to how the birds even entered the armed forces. Typically, there were two routes. Some pigeons were like professional servicemembers—born and raised in government lofts, all they knew was a life of military camps and discipline. Others were like draftees—prize-winning racing birds in civilian life,…
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Military Pigeons in the 21st Century, Part II: France
Since the end of the Second World War, most of the world’s militaries have decommissioned their pigeon services. A few, however, have held onto their birds. In this ongoing series, we’ll take a closer look at these holdouts. For nearly 80 years, almost every European military had a pigeon service at one point or another. …
Pigeons of War 