TOPIC:

"The military authorities have decided to establish a pigeon post in South Africa, and on Saturday 100 birds were despatched from Southampton on the Rosslyn Castle for this purpose. These pigeons are for breeding purposes, and have been supplied from the Admiralty lofts, the military lofts at Aldershot having been abandoned after a considerable sum was spent in forming them."

(Towyn-on-Sea and Merioneth County Times, Thrsday, 27th February 1902)

While the British soldiers in South Africa had to contend with the Boers and disease, their pigeons would have had as their principal enemies South African raptors, which were then far more numerous than they are today. I wonder if any record was kept of their casualties?

Brett

I wonder why it wasn't until 1902 before pigeons were taken to South Africa.

There was a pigeon post for the last few months of the war! thesamsonsedhistorian.wordpress.com/2014...-war-pigeons-1901-2/

Berenice
Pigeon post certainly operated out of Ladysmith during the siege. About a year ago, IL submitted a "post" (pun!) about that. Later today, I will send a pic.
Regards
IL.

Here we are; from Vol.2 With the Flag to Pretoria


I admit these birds were not "taken" to SA by the army. After all, the military had heliographs, flag signalling, cable-laying and developed searchlights sending Morse code messages by cloud reflection.
Regards
IL.

LinneyI wrote: Here we are; from Vol.2 With the Flag to Pretoria

During the long weary months that the Ladysmith garrison and residents were imprisoned, news was being constantly received from the besieged town. Many will have wondered how it is that such a regular supply of news was furnished to the outside world. There were two chief means of communication: native runners and "pigeon post." The most important dispatches were transmitted per "racing" pigeons, and these eluded the Boers in safety. The Durban pigeon lofts have justly earned world-wide celebrity, as their birds have taken a prominent part in the most celebrated siege of modern times. They have demonstrated that in actual warfare the pigeon can play a very important part. Naturally, the feats of the Durban racing pigeons have proved of great interest to the fanciers, and that periodical The Racing Pigeon, in its issue of Feb. 21st, had a first-class article on the subject, containing a photograph of Mr. Clifford F. Brook's red cheq. bird that brought birthday greetings to H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, from General White at Ladysmith, to Durban, Nov. 9th, 1899. This bird has a wonderfully fine record. It is interesting to note that it is a direct descendant of birds supplied to Mr. Brooks, of Durban, by Messrs. Harker Bros. of Thongs Bridge, who are noted specialists. This particular strain will in the future be known as Harker Bros. famous "Ladysmith." The bird in question was hatched January 16th, 1899, and excelled in all the young bird races last season, the following being some of its performances: Botha's Hill, 90 miles, 1st; Hilton Road, 50 miles, 1st; Highlands, 88 miles, 4th; Wessel's Nek, 117 miles, 1st; velocity, 1257-9. Some of the Durban birds have been submitted to auction and have fetched high prices. When these birds were offered to the military authorities the owners felt that apart from patriotic motives they would be amply repaid in the boom that would be created for their birds. It appears that the original breeders, Messrs. Harker Bros., had almost forgotten their transaction with the Durban fanciers, although they strongly suspected that some of their birds would certainly be found in the war service. The Racing Pigeon gave the show away, and now the Ford Mill Lofts have sprung to the front at a bound. Already good offers have been made for the near relations to the "Ladysmith pigeons."

Holmfirth Express, Saturday 10th March 1900

Thongsbridge is a small village near Holmfirth, West Yorkshire.