Birds as Messengers 



with experience of intelligence work, interro- 

 gated German prisoners who were brought 

 into his pill-box as they arrived, and 

 despatched the information derived from 

 the bewildered Germans by " colombogram " 

 almost as quickly as it could have been sent 

 by telegram. In another case the garrison of 

 a pill-box sent back by PIGEON a request 

 that artillery should immediately open on 

 the ground around their stronghold, taking 

 no thought for their own safety, as the Ger- 

 mans were about to surround them (Morn- 

 ing Post, ig.vii.i8). The officer who com- 

 manded the first Tank Corps Battalion stated 

 that PIGEONS had frequently saved the situa- 

 tion for him. Neither a gas cloud nor a 

 heavy barrage of artillery fire deterred these 

 messengers from bringing their despatches. 

 The battle of Monchy is alleged to have been 

 won through a flying message to the troops 

 at the base ; a counter-attack at Arras was 

 smashed by the same means (Bird Notes and 

 News, vol. viii. p. 25). 



Although the HOMING PIGEONS on the 

 Western Front were of the greatest use, as 



13 



