The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-26

portance were. found on these German
birds. Ten of these prisoners are in
the lofts at Potomac Park.
One of the German birds-a fraulein-
mated up with Red Eye, formerly at
| tached to the 10th field signal bat
talon, and one of the American aces"
AS to the army order forbidding Ameri-
cans to wed Germans does not apply
to army pigeons, Red Eye and his boche
bride are now living happily together
| in their loft where they have a family
nest and two hyphenated eggs.
The pigeon was not always fortunate
enough to pass through the battle area
unscathed. Shells exploded with fire
quency and in such manner that the
pigeon was often caught in the rain
wounded, returned to their lofts with
! their messages intact, only to succumb
there. Their intense desire to reach
home Is sufficient to sustain them while
struggling through the air.
One story is told of the case of an
English bird which was struck by a
piece of shrapne while honeward
bound with a message. Both of it's
legs were broken, and the aluminium
message holder was imbedded in the
spirit never faltered. 1t struggled on
and on, falling dead at the feet of the
loft attendant. The message proved to
be pressing one, and the soldiers were
heartily in favor of awarding the d. s.
c. to this bird for its great display of
courage,
Released From seapIane.
Another bird was released from a
seaplane which had fallen and was
being shelled by a German destroyer.
The bird rose quickly and circled about
to get its bearings. Shots resounded
from the deck of the destroyer, the
bird stopped short in its flight, and a
stream of falling feathers told that 1t
had been hit. After a short fall, the
bird recovered and flew Eomeward I'M
hour. three British war vessels had ar
rived on the scene The Germans fed
and the aviators were rescued, With
body. and wings lacerated, this heroic
bird had flown thirteen miles to a naval
air station and given the alarm.
While some of these tales read like
fanciful visions of vivid imagination,
all are Vouched for by official documents
In the files of the war department. Here
is one most typical:
A detachment of French infantry was
placed in certain strategic position
and told to hold it at all costs, while
their comrades took up positions in the
rear. The Germans attacked again and
again, and the birds sent up by The
advanced detachment bore stories of
unequalled valor and sacrifice. The
final message from the detachment is
dramatic in its tragic simplicity. 1t
reads:
THE boche are on us. We are lost.
but have done good work. Have the
artillery open on our position"
1t was the messages carried to the
rear by pigeons that saved 1.-The lost
battalion" more than anything else.
When the dawn of October showed
that he was cut off, Maj. Whittlesey
sent back runners with report on his
position. Each runner gave his life.
Pigeons were then sent and it was
those couriers of the air that carried
the tidings to the other Yanks in the
forest. The messages brought back by
the. birds contained exact descriptions
battalion and expedited measures for
its eventual relief.
Generalization Of Pigeons.
Demobilzation of the pigeon service
has progressed so rapidly that this
branch of the military establishment is
already on peacetime basis. 1t is one
OF the new branches that Is to be a
permanent part of the service. At pres
ent there are about $500 birds scattered
at the various army posts in this coun-
try and in our insular possessions.
When the armistice was signed there
were about 10000 birds in the service,
half of which were in France. The
majority Of the overseas birds were
sold at auction, while some of them
were turned over to Belgium to help
restock her lofts. which were conflscated
by the German invaders. Belgium is
the home of the carrier, or homer,
pigeon, as it is more properly known
by fanciers The Belgians were among
the earliest and most successful pigeon
trainers. Many OF the best-flying
French, English and American strains
have beer developed from Belgian stock.
A large flock OF high grade homers
win be imported into this country from
England and France within the next
month for breeding purposes.
(SubJect for Monday, do You See
When You Look?'O