The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-10-16
Carrier Pigeons
Used In France

-, Behind British Lines in France,
Sept Correspondents of the Ass9-
ciated Press -FOr the American sol
der newly arrived in the lines In
France, there is always great In
terest attaching to the now wide
spread use OF carrier pigeons. Little
crates of the birds are found in many
n frontline 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
OCCASIONS arise when the wires prove
insufficient or break down altogether.
Every front line unit must be pre-
pared for such an emergency. SO the
pigeons are always kept handy, and
from time to time are tried our" to
be sure that they are ready for their
work
The pigeons quickly become accus-
toned TO shell fire and they will carry
important messages through a heavy
artillery barrage and through gas
clouds when no other method Of COM
munication 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 Immediately 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 nforma-
lion from the 'front.' line lFeHtHSS anu
during an advance to bring messages
from the advancing tanks and infan'.
try. Generally speaking, 1O0-mile
flight is the outside limit for military
sent In duplicate. For distances OF
ten miles, single birds are relied on
constantly, ana there are very few
failures.
place of stationary ones. These are
usually small automo bile trucks and
contain from 60 to 70 birds. An I'M
portant feature Of the trucks is
birds can easily learn the topography
of the neighborhood before being lib
Grated for their work.
In the battle Of the Somme in 1916
about $500 operation messages were
brought in by carrier pigeons over a
period of three months.
Carrier pigeons are very successful
~ used in connection with aircraft in
flight. and for distances up to 20 or 80
miles in fine weather can be relied
upon to reach home with their mes
sage. They are released in such
manner that they will first move with
the wind the airnan throwing the
bird forcib1y downward and sideways
in the direction the wind Is blowing
so that the wind will assist 1t to clear
the machine. With seaplanes. a num-
Der OF cases have occurred where pi-
lots in distress have been rescued as
the result of pigeon messages
There are several cases on record in
which a bird has successfully delivA
cred 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, includ-
ing several veterans who are still fy-
ing regularly though minus a leg lost
in action.
The British pigeon officers tell OF an
historic pigeon, known in the service
as the ~ c blri". which arrived torn
and bleeding and with the cylinder
containing his message actually
forced into his breast by the force Of
an exploding shell. This stout-heart-
ed flyer fell dead when his message
was delivered.