Catoctin clarion., 1918-11-28
SCHOOL PIGEONS
FOR WAR WORK.
Birds Are Prepared for Battle
lust the Same as
the Men.
PLAY BIG PART IN FIGHTING
Many Times Garry Messages That
Mean Life and Death--Spend
but Short Time in the Front
Line Trenches.

With the American Army in France.
Pigeons must be schOoled and pre-
pared for battle just the same as men,
OF the thousands Of pigeons flying
over the battle lines, carrying mes
sages and playing their part in the
fight against Germany, all have been
carefully trained. Having natural
"homing" instinct, owing to their
breeding, the birds practically train
themselves, but they work under su'
pervislon of soldiers assigned to the
pigeon corps" because Of their knowl-
edge of the birds.
When Il flock of pigeons is Installed
in certain cote, 1t is kept confined
closely for several days. The birds
pre given little food. Then they are
released. Not being well fed, and
therefore not very strong, they will fly
only few hundred yards from the
cote. Upon their return they are CIV
en- more food. Next day they are lib.
Grated again. This time they will fly
somewhat farther than on the first day,
and again their ratiOns will be in
creased.
BY the third day the pigeon really
goes to work schooling itself The
birds instinct is to become familiar
with the country about It's home cote.
The flock will take to the wing on be-
Ing released, and swing In un ever
widening circle about the cote. All the
time. as 1t flies, each bird Is studying
the terrain, landmarks by which 1t can
find its way home. The next step Is to
carry the pigeons up toward the line
for training.
Time in Trenches Short.
Life in the front line isn't any cas-
ier for pigeon than for Il man. Con-
seuuently IA birds trick" in the trench
es on stable sector is only AS hours.
AT the end OF that time, II not sent
back with a message, the pigeon is
released to fly back home for u dry
rooSt and good meal.
When not on duty, pigeons are kept
in a dugout and are reasonably safe
from shellfre But for protection af-
forded them they would be exposed to
instant death from gas.
Carried forward with each basket of
pigeons is Il big square containcr re-
scmbling II piece Of tarpaulin. That's
the pigeons "gdS mask" Made OF
strong heavy, waterproof material,
the gas mask" fits over the entire
basket of pigeons. 1t is lined on the
inside with chemically-trcat"d material
that neutraliZeS the effect of gas. In
case of Il gas alarm the soldier look
inc after the pigeons picks up the haS-
ket, opens up the big container, puts
the basket of pigeons inside and closes
It, the folds at the top being 50 ar
ranged that it can be made alright.
Danger From Hawks.
In addition To gas and shell fire tn"
pigeons have their enemies of the air
to combat In carrying out their mis-
sions. heavily wooded district is eS-
peclally dangerous for war pigeons,
Many of the birds have been killed
In such places by hawks. A pigeon
usually will avoid flying over wood
whenever possible, but often when
forced to take such a course Is com
PEELED to fly for its life as Il hawk
suddenly swoops from the wood.
If the pigeon lives through shell fire,
gas, escapes hawks and arrives near
its cote safely, still another danger may
be waiting If the bird is nervous and
refuses to be trapped" In many
cases the messages by the birds mean
life or death. Consequently there
can be no delay in getting them from
the pigeons little message box once 1t
arrives at the cote. The pigeon men,
therefore keep a shotgun close by, and
are under orders to shoot down any
pigeon that does not alight at its cote
promptly.
Pigeons have played a prominent
part in all fighting in which Ameri-
cans have participated, from the first
raids in Lorraine through the battle of
Cantigny, the fighting through the
Marine region and on to the ST. Mihiel
victory. Originally 1000 birds were
brought to France from the United
States. More have come over from
time to time, and pigeons from French
cotes have re-enforced Unlcle Sans