Pigeons and the Belgian Army May 1940

[daveh]

Each Corps had a Signal Battalion which included a platoon with 3 mobile dovecotes.
In May 1940 I Corps for example had one mobile dovecote positioned with the HQs of 4th and 7th Infantry divisions to provide another link back to I Corps HQ.

Does anyone have pics of such mobile dovecotes?

[Prosper Vandenbroucke]

Hi Daveh,

A mobile dovecote

but I think it's not from 1940.

and an other but not mobile I think from 1930:

http://j28ro.blogspot.be/2011/05/transm ... elges.html

and a french one in 1931

http://atf40.forumculture.net/t3128-et- ... -voyageurs

Kindly Regards
Prosper

[daveh]

Thanks again Prosper, now I have some idea of what to look for.

[daveh]

From http://18daagseveldtocht.wikispaces.com ... +het+Leger

pics of a mobile dovecote




pic taken in the early 1930s



and notes the following (summary from http://www.pipa.be/nl/community/forum/d ... log?page=2)

Transmission Regiment Troops Army mobilizes at the end of August 1939 in the TTR barracks in Vilvoorde.

Racing pigeons Department of the Army: the pigeons service is located at the outbreak of war in the Army central pigeon post in Vilvoorde.

15 5 40 Racing pigeons Department of the Army moves to Tielst.

25 5 40 Racing pigeons Department of the Army moves to the villages of Eernegem and Aartrijke.

Battalion Motor Cyclists Ardennes Hunters
On 22/05/1940 around 20h30 recommends VIIth Army Corps to its large formations to send out some reconnaissance officer on the Lys to determine where the Germans are. The battalion will be given the task to send three patrols each one officer and three men on the road. Between 22u45 and 00u20 leave three teams:
• Lieutenant Van Eeckhout and his team will explore post in at km 6 of the job-Gavere Deinze
• Lieutenant Gerard receives the command post of Kruishoutem
• Lieutenant Habay leaves his post at Steenbrugge
Each team gets two travel pigeons to relay urgent messages.

and from
http://www.pipa.be/nl/community/forum/d ... log?page=2

Quote from Minister of Defence in reply to a question 29 11 95

The Belgian army was last in a regular manner military carrier pigeons used during the 18-day campaign in 1940. These were brought into pigeon-4 platoons, respectively, depending on the 21-22-23-24 Bn TTR. At the conclusion of the 18-day campaign the most military pigeons were slain.

[Loïc]

hello
the pigeon-breeding was a hobby very present in the regional culture of Northern France and Belgium

L'Auto-vélo___automobilisme_cyclisme_athlétisme_[...]_bpt6k4635625h_8.jpeg

L'Auto-Soldat
8th october 1939