Advent Calendar Dec 14: British Trained War Pigeon Cher Ami Flew Through Hails Of Bullets To Deliver His Message
He Saved The Lives of 194 American Soldiers in WW1
I wrote a book for Scholastic 5 years ago about Animals in War, and Cher Ami was of course included. The book was never published, but I of then think of the animals. If people are interested, I could publish the stories here.
More on Cher Ami here. (There are many disputes about Cher Ami’s gender, but as best I can discern Cher Ami was a male.)
Pigeons are incredible.
I would love to read the other stories you found, Celia. I had a Groenendahl dog who descended from one remaining pair of Belgian Shepherds who survived war time service. These dogs are seriously devoted to their handlers and will do ANYTHING to protect and return to them if they get separated.
My dog, Rasta, was outstanding and worked with me in many capacities like as a Dog Warden, a Guard Dog on a Gravel Pit and a farmyard protector. He dived through a plate glass window when he saw me leaving on a bus once! A friend tried to stop him following me on another occasion. She put him in a robust dog kennel in her garden. He destroyed it and escaped to find me in less than one hour.
No wonder the breed were used in wartime. They are astonishingly clever and unstoppable.
YES to all that! hope the stories are not all heartbreaking. our bond of affection with the animals in our lives is so deep, innocent and precious...and teaches us so much about the bravery of love.