The Glenwood post., 1918-03-09


present time than the carrier and the
homer pigeon. Thrilling stories creep
out from time to time of the splendid
work done by their wonderful pluck
trained and looked after by the N. p.
S., the men of which have had hand
ling of training and racing pigeons be-
fore entering this service. Then the
birds are dispatched as required to the
various naval bases or sub-bases for use
along the coast by the watchers, and
the patrolling and other craft.
A coast watcher on one of the lone
liest parts of the west coast of Britain
may realize the worth of the N. P. 5.
better than most folks, for it brought
about the capture of crew of Ger
mans. For nights he had kept sharp
lookout along his beat for the U-boats
possibly making the land to get the
petrol so cunningly stored away some
where up his short stretch of coast.
Day and night his vigilant eyes,
jammed against his binoculars, swept
the lonely waters. Again and again he
searched all likely and unlikely places
for the store of essence. But in vain.
Then, one evening, just after sundown,
he saw the tip of periscope rise far
out at sea, and then the coming tower
of U-boat showed awash. The nuder-
water craft became stationary. Specks
representing men appeared on her con-
ming tower confident of safety, for the
nearest British base was far distant
and the patrols here were few.
But the watcher turned to the light
basket he was carrying on his back,
and the little note he wrote hurriedly
he tied to the leg Of the pigeon. Then
he released the "homer.' For less
than q minute the bird cast about, as
if finding its bearings, then winged
quickly away toward the naval sub
base, its home.
Sooner than the sun rose next morn
ing, that U-boat was lying moored hard
by British destroyers, and her crew
were prisoners. She had run out of
petrol, but not this time was the hid
den cache emptied- The winged men,
Der of the N. P. 8. had stopped that
enterprise.
Another instance is that ensuing
when one of the British patrol boats,
early one morning, was attacked by a
| German submarine. The vessel was
torpedoed and began to sink quickly.
The skipper, however, had time to write
brief message, roll up scrap of pa
per, and secure it to leg of the pigeon
before the shattered craft sank under
his feet. Just in time he threw the
carrier pigeon up into the air, for with
in the next minute he was struggling in
the water, and striking out for dear
life toward a bit of wreckage. By now
the U-boat had risen to the surface.
and her men were watching the patrol
men struggling in the water. The
pigeon they espied and Immediately
began to shoot at it. The skipper saw
the bird badly hit, and gave up all
hopes of rescue.
He did not know how plucky the N.
p. S. is, how staunch the spirit of
trained Hcarrier.''
Some twenty miles away it lighted on
the deck of patrolling destroyer, it's
silvery gray plumage specked with
blood, one of its wings wounded, and
some feathers of the tail completely
shot away. Quickly it was brought to
the commanding officer, who took the
message off its leg. Three minutes later
the destroyer was rushing at full spead
to the succor, and her wireless tels.
graphist was ringing the sky with news
of the enemy's whereabouts. In less
than three-quarters of an hour the pa
trolmen were safe on board The n. p.
S. had saved their lives and brought to-
gether the avenging destroyers for the
hunting. The ''carrier' recovered
from it's wounds and resumed its place
on the active list.
Many are the praiseworthy deeds
performed by the birds of the British
Naval Pigeon Service, which if achieved
by human individuals would be ac-
knowledged by some distinguished con-
duct medal or other decoration and
laudation in public print. Only the reg
lister of the Naval Pigeon Service could
tell fully, but in curt, laconic, and
brief sentences, the record of each bird
and its good work done against the
Germans.-Patrick Vaux, Thundersly,
Essex, England.