-
Old Satchelback: The Loveable Loser
They got a name for the winners in the world And I want a name when I lose They call Alabama the Crimson Tide Call me Deacon Blues The jazz-rock group Steely Dan celebrated dignified loserdom in their 1977 song “Deacon Blues.” As the above passage suggests, the song’s protagonist—a hapless daydreamer—wants to be remembered…
-
The Imperial German Navy’s Pigeon Service: 1876 – 1918 A.D.
We here at Pigeon of War often mention the Franco-Prussian War in our posts. It’s an important moment in military pigeon history. By showing the world that homing pigeons could deliver messages in wartime, it led to a pigeon arms race all across Europe. However, another significant event occurred during that War—the birth of the…
-
Happy Jack: The Pigeon of Mons?
Cher Ami. GI Joe. President Wilson. These are among the most celebrated homing pigeons of the more than one million that served in both World Wars. But what about all the others? This is the first part in an occasional series that examines lesser-known war pigeons. On August 23rd, 1914, the British Expeditionary Force and…
-
Pigeons vs. Radio
Pigeons and radio—their relationship is complicated, to say the least. Before radio—or wireless telegraphy, as it was initially known—first burst onto the scene, few methods of reliable, long-distance communication were available in areas unsuited for telegraph cables, such as the sea or mountainous terrain. Outside of sending a mounted rider or dispatch vessel, those wanting…
-
Columba militaris helvetica: The Swiss Army’s Carrier Pigeons
A lot of ink has been spilled about military pigeons and their heroic actions during wartime. But what about those in peacetime armies? This blog is the first part in an occasional series examining military pigeon services in countries with strong traditions of neutrality. With a tradition of neutrality dating back to the 1500s, it…
-
Bird-Dogging: Pigeons & Dogs Working Together in War
To get a message delivered under wartime conditions is no easy feat. As readers of this blog are well aware, this responsibility is often borne entirely on the wings of homing pigeons. But dogs have been used as messengers in combat, too. While soldiers are quite capable of running messages between units, a human runner…
-
The Russian Empire’s Pigeon Stations: 1871 – 1916 A.D.
On January 27th, 1871, three homing pigeons floated out of Paris on the manned balloon Le Richard Wallace. These birds had been tasked with the solemn duty of carrying messages from central France into the besieged city. Yet this would be the final mission of the Paris pigeon post; city officials would sign an armistice…
-
Happy Presidents’ Day from President Wilson!
We here at Pigeons of War want to wish you all a very Happy Presidents’ Day! Presidents’ Day is an American holiday observed annually on the third Monday of February. It’s a day set aside to celebrate the achievements of America’s presidents. So it seems appropriate to write about President Wilson’s accomplishments today–the renowned homing…
-
The Belgian Pigeon Service During World War One
On August 4, 1914, German troops marched across the Belgium border toward the fortified city of Liege. Germany had declared war on Belgium a day before, after the country had refused to grant the German Army safe passage through its territory. The first battle of the Great War began in the early hours of August…
Pigeons of War 