The animals who have won this award, and whose gallantry has been honoured, must stand as representative of the many through history, equally deserving, whose value and service to man have passed unmentioned. The Dickin Medal, instituted by Mrs Maria Dickin, founder of the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals, was popularly referred to as "the animals VC". It was awarded to any animal displaying conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty associated with, or under the control of, any branch of the Armed Forces or Civil Defence units during World War II and its aftermath. The award was made only upon official recommendation and was exclusive to the animal kingdom. The obverse of the medal, which is in bronze, bears the initials "PDSA" at the top, the words "For Gallantry" in the centre and the words "We Also Serve" below, all within a wreath of laurel. The reverse is blank for inscribing with details of the recipient. The medal ribbon is green, dark brown and pale blue, representing water, earth and air to symbolise the naval, military, civil defence and air forces. Of the 53 Dickin Medals awarded, 18 were presented to dogs, 3 to horses, 1 to a cat, and 31 to pigeons.

The Feathered Heroes

The important role played by pigeons during World War II is perhaps not generally realised, but it cannot be over-emphasised, for they undoubtedly contributed to the saving of many lives and the success of certain vital operations. Although homing pigeons make for their own lofts instinctively, they vary in their ability, stamina, and degree of determination to "get there', and the pigeons listed in the citations were, of course, among those displaying these qualities in abundance.

White Vision - Award: 2nd December 1943 "For delivering a message under exceptionally difficult conditions and so contributing to the rescue of an air crew while serving with the R.A.F. in October 1943". A flying-boat had to "ditch" in the Hebrides at 8:20 one morning. Sea rescue operations were hindered by very bad weather and air search was impossible because of thick mist. At 5pm that afternoon White Vision arrived at her loft with a message giving the position of the ditched aircraft and as a result the search was resumed, the aircraft sighted and rescue of the crew effected. White Vision had flown 60 miles over heavy seas against a headwind of 25 miles an hour with visibility only a hundred yards at the place of release and three hundred yards at the place of arrival.

William of Orange - Award: May 1945 "For delivering a message from the Arnhem Airborne Operation in record time for any single pigeon, while serving with the APS in September, 1944". This pigeon was released at 4.30am with an important despatch and performed the unequalled feat of covering 260 miles, 135 of them over the sea, in 4 hours 25 minutes to his home loft. The flying speed was therefore 1,740 yards per minute, nearly 60 miles an hour, showing great endurance and determination. William of Orange was bred by Sir William Proctor Smith of Bexton House, Bexton, near Knutsford. He was trained by the Army Pigeon Service and at the end of the war Sir William bought William of Orange "out of service" for 135 pounds and ten years later it was recorded that he was still alive although he was too old to race or breed. Lady Smith, presented the Dickin Medal, that had been awarded to William of Orange, to the Royal Signals Museum in 1965.

Winkie - Pigeon - NEHU 40 NSI. Date of award - 2nd December 1943. "For delivering a message under exceptionally difficult conditions and so contributing to the rescue of an Air Crew while serving with the RAF in February, 1942".

Tyke - Pigeon - No. 1263 MEPS 43. Date of award - 2nd December 1943. "For delivering a message under exceptionally difficult conditions and so contributing to the rescue of an Air Crew while serving with the RAF in the Mediterranean in June 1943".

Beach Comber - Pigeon - NPS 41.4230. Date of award - 6th March 1944. "For bringing the first news to this country of the landing at Dieppe, under hazardous conditions in September, 1942, while serving with the Canadian Army".

Gustav - Pigeon - NPS 42.31066. Date of award - 1st September 1944. "For delivering the first message from the Normandy Beaches from a ship off the beachhead while serving with the RAF on June 6th 1944".

Paddy - Pigeon - NPS 43.9451. Date of award 1st September 1944. "For the best recorded time with a message from the Normandy Operations, while serving with the RAF in June, 1944".

All Alone - Pigeon - NURP.39. SDS.39. Date of award - February 1946. "For delivering an important message in one day over a distance of 400 miles, while serving with the NPS in August, 1943".

Princess - Pigeon - 43WD593. Date of award - May 1946. "Sent on special mission to Crete, this pigeon returned to her loft (RAF Alexandria) having travelled about 500 miles mostly over sea, with most valuable information. One of the finest performances in the war record of the Pigeon Service".

Mercury - Pigeon - NURP.37.CEN. 335. Date of award - August 1946. "For carrying out a special task involving a flight of 480 miles from Northern Denmark while serving with the Special Section Army Pigeon Service in July 1942". Mercury’s Dickin Medal was sold at Christie’s for 5,000 pounds in the 1980s.

Pigeon - NURP. 38. BPC.6. Date of award - August 1946. "For three outstanding flights from France while serving with the Special Branch Section, Army Pigeon Service, 11th July 1941, 9th September 1941, and 29th November 1941".

GI Joe - Pigeon - USA 43. SC6390. Date of award - August 1946. "This bird is credited with making the most outstanding flight by a USA Army Pigeon in World War II. Making the 20 miles flight from British 10th Army HQ, in the same number of minutes, it brought a message which arrived just in time to save the lives of at least 100 allied soldiers from being bombed by their own planes".

Kenley Lass - Pigeon - NURP.36. JH.190. Date of award - March 1945. "For being the first pigeon to be used with success for secret communications from an agent in enemy occupied France while serving with the NPS in October, 1940".

Navy Blue - Pigeon - NPS.41. NS.2862. Date of award - March 1945. "For delivering an important message from a Raiding Party on the West Coast of France, although injured, while serving with the RAF in June, 1944".

Flying Dutchman - Pigeon - NPS. 43, NS. 44802. Date of award - March 1945. "For successfully delivering messages from agents in Holland on three occasions. Missing on fourth mission. Served with the RAF. 1944".

Dutch Coast - Pigeon - NURP.41, A.2164. Date of award - March 1945. "For delivering an SOS from a ditched Air Crew close to the enemy coast 288 miles distant in 7.5 hours, under very unfavourable conditions, while serving with the RAF in April 1942".

Commando - Pigeon - NURP.38.EGU.242. Date of award - March 1945. "For successfully delivering messages from agents in occupied France on three occasions: twice under exceptionally adverse conditions, while serving with the NPS in 1942".

Ruhr Express - Pigeon - NPS.43.29018. Date of award - May 1945. "For carrying an important message from the Ruhr Pocket in excellent time, while serving with the RAF in April, 1945. The Dickin Medal and the actual pigeon Ruhr Express sold for 5,800 pounds at Buckland, Dix and Wood auction house on April 7, 1994.

Scotch Lass - Pigeon - NPS.42.21610. Date of award - June 1945. "For bringing 38 microphotographs across the North Sea in good time although injured, while serving with the RAF in Holland in September 1944".

Broad Arrow - Pigeon - 41, 2793. Date of award - October 1945. "For bringing important messages from enemy occupied country three times, viz: May 1943, June 1943 and August 1943 while serving with the Special Service from the Continent".

Mary - Pigeon - NURP.40.WCE. 249. Date of award - November 1945. "For outstanding endurance on War Service in spite of wounds".

Tommy - Pigeon - NURP.41 D.H.Z. 56. Date of award - February 1946. "For delivering valuable messages from Holland to Lancashire under difficult conditions, while serving with NPS, July 1942".

Duke of Normandy - Pigeon - NURP.41.SBC.219. Date of award - 8th January 1947. "For being the first bird to arrive with a message from Paratroops of 21st Army Group behind enemy lines on D Day June 6th, 1944, while serving with APS".

Pigeon - NURP.43. CC.1418. Date of award - 8th January 1947. "For the fastest flight with a message from 6th Airborne Div. Normandy, 7th June, 1944, while serving with APS".

Pigeon - DD43T Q879 (Australian Army Signal Corps) Date of award - February 1947. "During an exceptionally heavy tropical storm, June 1945, Army Boat 1402 foundered on Wardour Beach in the Huron Gulf. This pigeon was released with the message "Engine failed washed on Beach Wardour owing to heavy seas. Send help immediately. Craft rapidly filling with sand". The pigeon homed to Madang through heavy rain, 40 miles in 50 minutes. As a result a rescue ship was sent to the craft and a valuable cargo was salvaged. The bird flew 23 operations totalling 1,004 miles".

Cologne - Pigeon - NURP.39. NPS.144. Red Cock "For homing from a crashed aircraft over Cologne although seriously wounded, while serving with the RAF in 1943".

Maquis - Pigeon - NPS., NS.36392. Date of award - October 1945. "For bringing important messages three times from enemy occupied country, viz: May 1943 (Amiens) February, 1944 (Combined Operations) and in June, 1944 (French Maquis) while serving with the Special Service from the Continent". Pigeon - NPS.42. NS,2780. Date of award - October 1945. "For bringing important messages three times from enemy occupied country, viz: July 1942, August 1942 and April 1943, while serving with the Special Service from the Continent".

Pigeon - NPS.42., NS.7524. Date of award - October 1945. "For bringing important messages three times from enemy occupied country, viz: July 1942, May 1943 and July 1943 while serving with the Special Service from the Continent".

Billy - Pigeon - NU. 41HQ.4373. Date of award - August 1945. "For delivering a message from a force landed bomber while in a state of complete collapse and under exceptionally bad weather conditions, while serving with the RAF in 1942".