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Pigeons in the Siege of Antwerp, 1832
The Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 is perhaps the most well known instance of pigeons being used to carry information in and out of a city during a siege. But nearly 40 years earlier, the Dutch military used pigeons in a similar fashion during the Siege of Antwerp in 1832. In this post, we examine the…
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Pigeons in the Hut Tax War of Sierra Leone, 1898
When did the British Army first use pigeons in combat? World War One? The Boer War? The answer is the Hut Tax War of 1898, a relatively obscure colonial uprising in Sierra Leone. This week, we take a look at how the British Army, for the first time ever, relied on pigeons to communicate with…
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“Little Feathered Heroes”: Camp Pike’s Pigeon Service, 1917-1919
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Pigeons in the Yugoslav Wars: The Croatian War of Independence (1991 A.D.)
In reading about military pigeons, one might be tempted to think that such services ended after the Second World War. For the most part, that’s accurate. Once electronic communication became cheaper and widespread in the post-war era, most militaries happily disbanded their pigeon services, eager to get rid of a seemingly archaic system. By the…
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“Very Gallant Gentlemen:” The Pigeons of the Royal Naval Air Service, 1916-1918 A.D.
The United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force (RAF) enjoys the honor of being the world’s first independent air force. For over 100 years, the RAF has protected Britain’s skies and air space from harm, playing a major role in the Second World War and the Cold War. Few people, however, are aware of the RAF’s predecessors…
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The Martyrs of Nomain: A Tale of Pigeons and Spycraft During the Great War
For all practical purposes, the Great War began when Germany invaded Belgium on August 4th, 1914. Despite the valiant efforts of the Belgian Army, it was an unfair fight and the small country was quickly overrun. For the duration of the war, German military authorities occupied nearly the entire territory. This is common knowledge, yet…
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The Kingdom of Serbia’s Pigeon Stations: 1908 – 1918 A.D.
The Balkan Peninsula was a hotbed of activity during the latter-half of the 19th century. The Ottoman Empire had ruled the region for centuries, but a rise in ethnic nationalism challenged the status quo. Following a series of wars and rebellions, the Sick Man of Europe gradually receded from the Peninsula. At the close of…
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Pigeons in the Third Crusade: The Siege of Acre (1189 – 1191 A.D.)
On May 11, 1189 A.D., Frederick I, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, sailed from Regensburg with an army of over ten thousand. Traveling to the Levant, they would soon be joined by Philip II of France and Richard I of England and their respective armies. For the third time within a century, Europe had…
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The Military Heritage of Venice’s Pigeons
Venice is famous for its pigeons. They’re everywhere, and tourists expect to see them. A special haven for Venice’s pigeons is Piazza San Marco, the city’s principal public square. Before the 20th century, San Marco’s pigeons were highly regarded, even considered sacred. Several origin stories have been advanced for these pigeons, but, for our purposes,…
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Pigeons in the Roman Military: The Siege of Mutina (44-43 B.C.)
At its peak, the military of Ancient Rome was without peer. Enterprising commanders developed advanced weaponry, employed innovative strategies on the battlefield, and implemented incredible engineering feats. With this expertise, one might wonder: did the Roman military ever utilize a pigeon post? Before fully delving into this query, we first need to dispel a long-standing…
Pigeons of War 