Dutch Coast

War piegon and Dickin Metal recipient

Dutch Coast, also known as NURP.41. A.2164, was a pigeon who received the Dickin Medal in 1945 from the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals for bravery in service during the Second World War.^[1]

Military service

Dutch Coast was bred and owned by Mr J Flower of Radcliffe-on-Trent, and was a red cock of the Osman strain of racing pigeons. After being donated into military service, the bird was placed on a bomber so as to relay an S.O.S. message if the plane was shot down.^[2] It was given the military designation NURP.41.^[3] A.2164. In April 1942, the bomber on which it was on board was ditched in the water near the Dutch coast.^[4] The bird was the only one on-board and was retrieved by the crew who released it from the dinghy at 6:20am.^[4]^[2]

It travelled some 288 miles in 7 and a half hours under poor conditions, back to RAF Syerston in Nottinghamshire.^[4] For this action, it was awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945,^[2] described as the animal's Victoria Cross.^[5]

Notes

^ "Dickin medal pigeons". PDSA. Archived from the original on 13 February 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2011.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Award to Radcliffe Pigeon". Nottingham Evening Post. No. 20819. British Newspaper Archive. 14 April 1945. p. 4. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
^ "Pigeons in War". The Royal Pigeon Racing Association. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c Long (2012): p. 112
^ "Lucky and Sadie awarded the 'animal VC'". Ministry of Defence. National Archives. 26 January 2007. Archived from the original on 8 January 2008. Retrieved 13 September 2014.