Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 286, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 December 1918 — SCHOOL PIGEONS FOR WAR WORK [ARTICLE]

SCHOOL PIGEONS FOR WAR WORK

Birds Are Prepared for Battle Just the Shme as the Men. PLAY BIG MRTBI FIGHTING Many Times Carry Messages That Mean Life and Death—Spend but Short Time In the Front Line Trenches.

TMth the American Army in France. —Pigeons must be schooled and prepared for battle just the same as men. Of the thousands of pigeons flying over the battle lines, carrying messages and playing their part in the fight against Germany, all have been carefully trained. Having natural ‘•homing’’ instinct, owing to their breeding, the birds practically train themselves, but they work under supervision of soldiers assigned to the “pigeon cOrps” because of their knowledge of the birds. When a flock of pigeons is Installed In a certain cote, It Is kept confined closely for several days. The birds are given little food. Then they are released. Not being well fed, and therefore not very strong, they will fly only a few hundred yards from the cote. Upon their return they are given more food. Next day they are liberated again. This time they will fly somewhat farther than on the first day, and again their rations will be increased.

By the third, day the pigeon really goes to work schooling itself. The bird’s Instinct is to become familiar with the country about its home cote. The flock will take to the wing on being released, andtswlng in an everwidening circle about the cote. All the time, as it flies, each bird is studying the terrain, landmarks by which it can find its way home. The next step Is to carry the pigeons up toward the line for training. Time in Trenches Short* Life in the front line isn’t any easier for a pigeon than fob a man. Consequently a bird’s “trick” in the trenches on a stable sector is only 48 hours. At the end of that time, if not sent back with a message, the pigeon is released to fly back home for a dry robst and a good meal. When not on duty, pigeons are kept in a dugout and are reasonably safe from shellfire. But for protection afforded them they would be exposed to instant death from gas.

Carried forward with each basket of pigeons is a big square container resembling a piece of tarpaulin. That’s the pigeon’s “gas mask.” Made of strong, heavy, water-proof material, the “gas mask” fits over the entire basket of pigeons. It is lined on the inside with chemically-treated material that neutralizes the effect of gas. In case of a gas alarm, the soldier looking after the pigeons picks up the basket opens up the big container, puts the basket of pigeons Inside and closes It, the folds at the top being so arranged that it can be made airtight. Danger From Hawks. In addition to gas and shell fire the pigeons have their enemies of the air to combat in carrying out their missions. A heavily wooded district is especially dangerous for war pigeons. Many of the birds have been killed in such places by hawks. A pigeon usually will avoid flying over a wood whenever possible, but often when forced to take such a course is compelled to fly for its life as a hawk suddenly swoops from the wood. If the pigeon lives through shell fire, gas, escapes hawks and arrives near its cote safely, still another danger may be waiting, if the bird is nervous and refuses to be “trapped.” In many

cases the messages by the birds mean life or x death. Consequently there' can be no delay in getting them from the pigeon’s little message box once it arrives at the cote. The pigeon men, therefore, keep a shotgun close by, and are under orders to shoot down any pigeon that does not alight at its cote promptly.

Pigeons have played a prominent part in all fighting in whjch Americans have participated, from the first raids in Lorraine through the battle of Cantigny, the fighting through the Marne region and on to the St Mihlel victory. Originally 2,000 birds were •brought to France from the United States. More have come over from time to time, and pigeons from French cotes have re-enforced Unlcle Sam’s feathered messengers. ••