Australian carrier pigeon: Blue Chequer hen 1935:D/D:44 Accession Number: RELAWM30788

Description

Mounted skin of a blue chequer hen carrier pigeon. The bird carries an aluminium leg ring impressed '1935: [broad arrow symbol]: 44'.

Contextual Description

Details of breeding: Bred at Barrine, Queensland by 4 Pigeon Section (Type A). Her parents were South Australian birds 226 PPW 41 RCC and 823/SAA 41, both of which had been donated by P. Gilbert, from Port Pirie, South Australia.

Location of Detachment at time of flight: 4 Pigeon Section (Type A) attached to Signals 6 Division, Aitape.

A copy of the message carried by the pigeon is not available but she is significant for the following reason:- "During Feb 45 an important Intelligence patrol known as JOCK FORCE, under Captain Jock Marshall, had been out of communication with HQ 6 Division for some days when 4 Pigeon Section was ordered to investigate the possibility of dropping pigeons from an aircraft to the force for the purpose of carrying vital reports back to HQ 6 Division, for immediate air strikes on Japanese forces and dumps also for forthcoming operations.

A basket of six birds were dropped the following morning from an aircraft to Jock Force, 45 miles inland over difficult country in the Torricelli Mountains, with features up to 3,000 feet. These birds had previously only been flying over a distance of 10 miles along the coast from coastal patrols, however despite this sudden change of route this bird brought the first message and map overlay from the patrol carrying much valuable information back to 6 Division HQ, a distance of approx 45 miles, in 50 minutes, which resulted in successful air strikes and future operational moves. This was the first occasion in the AIF that pigeons had been dropped from aircraft in an operation."