Pigeons requested for special task in August 1944

Pigeon in Rome by D. Truong

 

(c) Crown copyright images reproduced by courtesy of The National Archives, London, UK

AIR2/4129  #105, #106, #118

WO208/3560 #61, #62, #63, #64, #65

Below is a 2 page letter to W.T. Rimer asking him to be on standby with pigeons for a possible special task.

Below is an example of the type of military intelligence written by a brave patriot and delivered by pigeon 121 who participated in Operation Columba.  It is also a look at life under the German occupation.  The message reveals that a parachutist is safe but the person who sheltered him will be shot.

 

 

Special Operations Executive (SOE) and pigeons, 1941-44

Pigeon in Rome by D. Truong

(c) Crown copyright images reproduced by courtesy of The National Archives, London, UK

HS8/854 #12, #13, #34, #35, #36, #51, #52

WO208/3556 #09

The first 2 documents from 1941 discuss how to provide pigeons for the Country Sections of SOE.  The third and fourth documents from 1944 pertain to the M.I.5 plan to use falcons to intercept German pigeons and how that might interfere with SOE's pigeons.  The last document from 1943 rejects the idea of changing the delivery system for pigeons used by Operation Columba because it might undermine security. A discussion of Colonel Vernon's pigeons and the security of his service is in the last 3 documents.

 

 

Special Operations Executive (SOE) and pigeons, 1941-44

Pigeon in Rome by D. Truong

(c) Crown copyright images reproduced by courtesy of The National Archives, London, UK

HS8/854 #12, #13, #51, #52

WO208/3556 #09

The first 2 documents from 1941 discuss how to provide pigeons for the Country Sections of SOE.  The third and fourth documents from 1944 pertain to the M.I.5 plan to use falcons to intercept German pigeons and how that might interfere with SOE's pigeons.  The last document from 1943 rejects the idea of changing the delivery system for pigeons used by Operation Columba because it might undermine security. 

 

 

Special Operations Executive (SOE) agents use of pigeons and Kleyn's knowledge of SOE

Pigeon in Rome by D. Truong

(c) Crown copyright images reproduced by courtesy of The National Archives, London, UK

Catalog numbers HS8/854 #14, #15, #16, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23, #24, #25, #26, #27

The first 3 documents provide details about the use of pigeons by Special Operations Executive (SOE) agents.  The next 9 documents discuss whether Kleyn should be allowed to continue to work with the pigeon service and they question the discretion of Lord Tredegar. Some of this correspondence reveals Kleysn's duties and the amount of knowledge he may have had about SOE's activities.   Someone is arrested.  Who?  If you check the post from September 21, 2015 titled "D-Day---number of pigeons dropped to gather intelligence before D-Day, May 1944" you will see that Kleyn signed that report.  It seems he survived the political power struggle alluded to in this correspondence.

 The Feb 3 communication referenced below is not included in the HS8/854 series, so I can't post it.

 

World War 2 pigeon delivers message in July 1944

Pigeons in Rome by D. Truong

(c) Crown copyright images reproduced by courtesy of The National Archives, London, UK

Catalog numbers AIR2/4129 #125, #126

These 2 documents are the results for an operation which took place in July 1944.

Ongoing special task for pigeons in June 1944

Pigeon in Rome by D. Truong

(c) Crown copyright images reproduced by courtesy of The National Archives, London, UK

Catalog numbers AIR2/4129 #136, #137

These 2 documents are the instructions for an operation which took place in June 1944.  Documents exceed the frame for ease of reading and can be viewed on full page by scrolling left-right.

World War 2 pigeon delivers message in June 1944

Pigeons on window ledges in Rome by D. Truong

(c) Crown copyright images reproduced by courtesy of The National Archives, London, UK

Catalog numbers AIR2/4129 #101, #139, #140

The first document is a log of how the pigeons were acquired and incorporated into the operation which took place in June 1944.  These pigeons were needed by Captain Wyndham White and Commander Childs.  The second document contains the message, unfortunately not translated, and the notes on the assignments of pigeons to particular agents.

The third document doesn’t pertain to the June 1944 operation.  It is a copy of the postagram instructing stations sending pigeons out on Special Tasks that they should all be fitted with USA message carriers.