The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-09-16
CARRIER PIGEONS
A WONDER TO SOLDIERS
The Men Make Pets of the Birds and
Watch Their Work with Close Inter
est-Pigeons Quickly Become
Used to Shell Fire.

Behind the British Lines in France,
Sept. Ii correspondence of The Asso.
ciated Press For the American soldier
newly arrived in the lines in France,
there is always a great interest attach.
ing to the now widespread use of carrier
pigeons Little crates Of the birds are
found in many a front.line dugout, and
they become great pets Of the men, who
watch their work with close interest.
Normally information in wartime is
transmitted by wire, but sometimes oc.
casions arise when the wires prove insult
ficient or break down altogether Every
front line unit must be prepared for
such an emergency. So the pigeons are
always kept ready, and from time to
time are tried OUT to be sure that they
are ready for their work.
The pigeons quickly become accus-
toned 10 shell fire, and they will carry
important messages through a heavy ar
tillery baTage and through gas clouds
when no other method Of communication
is practicable.
Pigeons were first employed by the
British army in October, 1914, when an
experimental shipment Of so birds was
brought TO France. Their value was i'm
mediately recognized and the service
rapidly grew to enormous proportions
Under present war conditions, the
pigeons are most largely employed for
two purposes-to bring back informa
ton from the front line trenches, and
during an advance 10 bring messages
from the advancing tanks and infantry.
Generally speaking, l00mile fight Is
the outside limit for military purposes,
even when messages are sent in dupli.
cate. For distances Of 10 miles, single
birds are relied on constantly, and there
are very few failures.
In war mobile lofts must take the
place Of Stationary ones. These are usu-
ally small automobile trucks and con
tain from 60 to 20 birds An important
feature Of the trucks is a good lookout
cage" on top, so that the birds can
easily learn the topography OF the
neighborhood before being liberated for
their work.
about $500 operation messages were
brought in by carrier pigeons over a
period of three months,
Carrier pigeons are very successfully
used in connection with aircraft in
fight, and for distances up to 20 or 80
miles in fine weather can be relied upon
to reach home with their message. They
are released in such a manner that they
will first move with the wind, the air.
man throwing the bird forcibly down
ward and sideways in the direction the
wind is blowing so that the wind will
assist it to clear the machines. With
seaplanes, number of cases have oe-
CURED where pilots in distress have been
rescued as the result Of pigeon mes
sages.
There are several cases on record in
which bird has successfully delivered
his message even when severely wounded.
In the British army lofts, the inquisitive
American soldiers have found several
birds still at work who bear the marks
Of battle, including several veterans who
are still flying regularly though minus a
| leg lost in action.
The British pigeon officers tell of an
historic pigeon, known in the service as
the "V. G, bird, which arrived torn and
bleeding, with the cylinder containing
his message actually forced into his
breast by the force of an exploding shell.
This stout hearted flyer fell dead when
his message was delivered.