“Schools Name” - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

“Schools Name”

Pigeons Loft Project

HistorySlide2

History and Homing PigeonsWhy are homing pigeons related to History?

How important was Homing pigeons in the

2

nd

World

War and what was their role?

What was the

Dickin

Medal?Slide3

Homing Pigeons and War

Ok so I know what you are thinking what does the homing pigeon have to do with war? Keep these images in mind as you can find the answers in the fill you are about to watch.Slide4

Pigeons During the warYou all now have a sheet with some questions on.

As you watch the video answer as many questions as a group as you can by using the information off the filmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZfjbfe5SXM Slide5

So what did you come up with

Pigeons

were used

in the RAF to send messages back to base to report where shot down aircraft were positioned

They was also used by solders to report back to base from behind enemy lines

Pigeons

were

parachuted to the soldiers / spies behind enemy lines to keep the communication lines open

Mobile pigeon lofts was a regular site on military bases to house the pigeons until they was needed in action

Both sides took capturing enemy homing pigeons seriously as they would try and intercept and decode messages form the enemy

Messages

were

sent by attaching a note onto the pigeons leg. Slide6

Here is an actual message that was sent back from the front line on D Day!

Your Task

Ok you are a commander back at base and you have just received a message from the front line can you conclude what the message says and what you would do with the information!

You only have 10 minutes as you must be quick as it could be a matter of life or death! Slide7

Gustav His name might sound suspiciously foreign, but he was as English as they come. Released from a ship close to the coast of Normandy as the D-Day landings began, he faced a headwind of 30mph and

the sun was hidden behind dense cloud. Yet he still managed the 150-mile trip to a pigeon loft in Thorney Island, near Portsmouth, after a flight lasting 5 hours and 16 minutes. His handler, Sgt Harry Halsey, took the message strapped to Gustav's leg that read:

The Story Behind the message and the pigeon

Liberated 8:30 - France

Arrived home 13:46 - Portsmouth

"We are just 20 miles or so off the beaches. First assault troops landed 0750. Signal says no interference from enemy gunfire on beach

Steaming steadily in formation.

Lightning's,

Typhoons, Fortresses crossing since 0545.

No enemy aircraft seen."

(

The message was used to track the progress of the allied troops on the

beaches

of

N

ormandy

during

the D Day landings.

This

helped the British Army Liberate the

F

rench people from German occupation

)Slide8

Dickin Medal Now it’s

time for you to do the research!

What is the

Dickin

Medal awarded for?

You have 10 minutes to research and give examples of when and what the

Dickin

M

edal was awarded for

Good Luck Slide9

Dickin Medal

So What did you find?

Dickin Medal was first awarded in 1943 in the UK to honour the bravery of animals in warIt is made of bronze bearing the words "For Gallantry, We Also Serve" The award is commonly referred to as “The animals‘ Victoria Cross”

[

edit

] See also

62

Animals have been awarded the Medal of which

32

are

H

oming PigeonsSlide10

So the role of the Homing Pigeons in the war and how it all workedReleased

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxvEmmKrKigStart - 29 sec Finish – 4min 25 secSo will it

work? Hands up for YES Number of students:____________Hands up for NO Number of students:______________Let’s see what happensArriving homehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxvEmmKrKigStart -7min 32 secFinish – 8:52 secondsSlide11

So what did you learn?Why are homing pigeons related to History?

How important was Homing pigeons in the

2

nd

World War and what was there role?

What was the

Dickin

Medal?