WWII Homing Pigeon Found

toofs · #1 11-03-2012, 10:35 AM

WWII homing pigeon with coded message found in Bletchingley, Surrey.

What's the message say?

Elmer J. Fudd · #2 11-03-2012, 10:47 AM

"Send more pigeons!"

DMark · #3 11-03-2012, 10:48 AM

Considering the pigeon was found in a chimney:

"Send blankets. Very cold. Even pigeons are freezing..."

levdrakon · #4 11-03-2012, 11:16 AM

Now we know where all the dead pigeons go.

blondebear · #5 11-03-2012, 11:27 AM

What does the message say? "Roast in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Season to taste."

Jackmannii · #6 11-03-2012, 11:41 AM

"May 12, 1942. A member of Hitler's security detail will assassinate him for cash. Reply to box #3472 if interested."

Dang.

From the linked article: "About three handfuls of rubbish later, down came the leg with the red capsule on it, with a message inside. Unbelievable."

"It was like Christmas," his wife said"

Holidays at their house must be grand.

panache45 · #7 11-03-2012, 11:57 AM

"If I can't get this capsule off my leg, I'm gonna die in this fucking chimney."

Northern Piper · #8 11-03-2012, 12:09 PM

Paging Captain Ridley's Shooting Party!

qualityleashdog · #9 11-04-2012, 09:34 AM

Wash. Biol. Surv.

Boyo Jim · #10 11-04-2012, 02:03 PM

It was like Christmas?

"Well, we had asked Santa for a pigeon with meat still on it, but he's a busy fella", said the starving homeowner. "Still, maybe we can suck some marrow out of the bones."

Boyo Jim · #11 11-04-2012, 02:12 PM

This story is getting a lot of press. They think the message was intended for RAF Bomber Command, because the addressee code was "XO2", but they don't yet know the conents.

BTW, has anybody ever heard of RAF bombers carrying pigeons to return to England if the bomber was shot down. I've never read that and I've been reading WWII histories all my life. Can a pigeon even survive being tossed out of a 150 mph plane? Is it supposed to struggle out of the crushed and burning wreckage on the ground and them return home with the sad news? Which crewman had the job of releasing the pigeon before saving himself? Color me skeptical.

Unfortunately, this very story is making a Google search about the history problematic. Searching for WWII carrier pigeons and bombers is hitting on tons of news stories to wade through.

Jamicat · #12 11-04-2012, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by levdrakon

Now we know where all the dead pigeons go.

Long time passing...

Boyo Jim · #13 11-04-2012, 02:23 PM

Gone to chimneys, every one...

Filbert · #14 11-04-2012, 02:52 PM

Damn that's some bad phrasing- 'the preserved pigeon bones of a bird', are they sure it wasn't the pigeon bones of a kipper?

Ashes, Ashes · #15 11-04-2012, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by panache45

"If I can't get this capsule off my leg, I'm gonna die in this fucking chimney."

127 Hours the Prequel?

Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor · #16 11-04-2012, 05:15 PM

Quote:

WWII Homing Pigeon Found

Correction!

"Remains of WWII Homing Pigeon Found"

Correct & re-deliver.

With a different bird.

Obviously.

Ethilrist · #17 11-04-2012, 05:23 PM

"Secret treasure hoard of A.H. found in Poland. Location to follow."

Count Blucher · #18 11-04-2012, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blondebear

What does the message say? "Roast in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Season to taste."

well, the secret is a little more complex than that...

SPOILER:

...but it does of course explain why there were no pigeons left to use in the next conflict.

Tangent · #19 11-04-2012, 06:59 PM

Dastardly and Muttley will be pleased.

Battle Pope · #20 11-04-2012, 07:05 PM

"Send three and fourpence. We are going to a dance."

Capt. Ridley's Shooting Party · #21 11-05-2012, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northern Piper

Paging Captain Ridley's Shooting Party!

aceplace57 · #22 11-05-2012, 11:11 AM

I' surprised at the delay in translating the message. WWII codes should be in old books on cyphers. They have the RAF guys name. That should be a quick computer lookup. He might still be alive.

AHarris · #23 11-05-2012, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aceplace57

I' surprised at the delay in translating the message. WWII codes should be in old books on cyphers. They have the RAF guys name. That should be a quick computer lookup. He might still be alive.

It depends. If a one-time pad was used properly when writing the message, it would be extremely difficult to de-crypt it without the original key (which may have been destroyed after the war).

Morbo · #24 11-05-2012, 06:58 PM

OK, after looking at the linked picture, I've cracked it. The results are still in some sort of cypher, maybe someone else can help with it:

WRGOABABD
~~MLIAOI~~
WTBIMPANETP
MLIABOAIAQC
ITTMTSAMSTGAB

GuanoLad · #25 11-05-2012, 07:07 PM

Rofllmfao
istmlol
iircbrb
afkppor
ttfn

GuanoLad · #26 11-05-2012, 07:08 PM

D'oh! Joke ruined by enforced lowercase.

Boyo Jim · #27 11-05-2012, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morbo

OK, after looking at the linked picture, I've cracked it. The results are still in some sort of cypher, maybe someone else can help with it:

WRGOABABD
~~MLIAOI~~
WTBIMPANETP
MLIABOAIAQC
ITTMTSAMSTGAB

That IS the message, unencrypted. It was part of a British deception campaign intended to tie up German code breakers by sending random nonsense.

Tangent · #28 11-05-2012, 07:26 PM

Maybe the secret message is what "14 k of g in a f p d" means.

Bumbershoot · #29 11-05-2012, 07:43 PM

"I just flew in from Germany and boy are my wings tired."

For You · #30 11-05-2012, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bumbershoot

"I just flew in from Germany and boy are my wings tired."

You know, when I hear that line play in my head, because of the delivery, it teeters on the precipice of astoundingly bad taste.

dimmy derko · #31 11-05-2012, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boyo Jim

This story is getting a lot of press. They think the message was intended for RAF Bomber Command, because the addressee code was "XO2", but they don't yet know the conents.

BTW, has anybody ever heard of RAF bombers carrying pigeons to return to England if the bomber was shot down. I've never read that and I've been reading WWII histories all my life. Can a pigeon even survive being tossed out of a 150 mph plane? Is it supposed to struggle out of the crushed and burning wreckage on the ground and them return home with the sad news? Which crewman had the job of releasing the pigeon before saving himself? Color me skeptical.

Unfortunately, this very story is making a Google search about the history problematic. Searching for WWII carrier pigeons and bombers is hitting on tons of news stories to wade through.

I can't concentrate on what the code possibly meant as I'm still trying to get my head around a bomber crew taking an Emergency Homing Pigeon with them. Did they have little cages for them or were they tucked in the rucksack as standard kit?

Bumbershoot · #32 11-05-2012, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bumbershoot

"I just flew in from Germany and boy are my wings tired."

Quote:

Originally Posted by For You

You know, when I hear that line play in my head, because of the delivery, it teeters on the precipice of astoundingly bad taste.

For the life of me, I can't figure out how my post demonstrates "astoundingly bad taste". It was nothing more than a variation on the old stand-up comedy cliché, described in this TV Tropes article on Stock Shticks (example #1). Far from hilarious, I admit- but "astoundingly bad taste"?

BMalion · #33 11-05-2012, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bumbershoot

For the life of me, I can't figure out how my post demonstrates "astoundingly bad taste". It was nothing more than a variation on the old stand-up comedy cliché, described in this TV Tropes article on Stock Shticks (example #1). Far from hilarious, I admit- but "astoundingly bad taste"?

I thought it was funny as hell myself.

SCAdian · #34 11-05-2012, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morbo

OK, after looking at the linked picture, I've cracked it. The results are still in some sort of cypher, maybe someone else can help with it:

WRGOABABD
~~MLIAOI~~
WTBIMPANETP
MLIABOAIAQC
ITTMTSAMSTGAB

<snicker>

Knew that sounded familiar - I was just reading about that this summer....

Bumbershoot · #35 11-05-2012, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMalion

I thought it was funny as hell myself.

Thanks!

For You · #36 11-05-2012, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bumbershoot

Far from hilarious, I admit- but "astoundingly bad taste"?

I always hear an accent leaning toward Yiddish. In the context of WWII Germany, that makes me a bit uneasy, pardon me for being overly sensitive.

Bumbershoot · #37 11-05-2012, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by For You

I always hear an accent leaning toward Yiddish. In the context of WWII Germany, that makes me a bit uneasy, pardon me for being overly sensitive.

No problem.

BMalion · #38 11-05-2012, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by For You

I always hear an accent leaning toward Yiddish. In the context of WWII Germany, that makes me a bit uneasy, pardon me for being overly sensitive.

Oy.

Koxinga · #39 11-05-2012, 10:08 PM

"Me name is Speckled Jim"

Zebra · #40 11-06-2012, 12:25 AM

We've go pigeon legs.

6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast · #41 11-06-2012, 04:11 AM

"I hate my job. I just wanna... pull my leg off just so that I can have something to throw at it."

And kudos, Koxinga. Choked on that.

ftg · #42 11-06-2012, 07:24 AM

The British have a very strong Official Secrets Act that kept a lot of basic info about WWII secret for a long time. It prevented publication in the UK about Bletchley Park and Engima until the 1980s, I think. This message might still fall under the Act and we might not know its contents any time soon.

aceplace57 · #43 11-06-2012, 08:00 AM

I noticed there isn't any sharp complete images of the message. Theres plenty of amateur cryptologists that would enjoy the challenge.

I recall vaguely last year they found a coded tablet or maybe pottery? Cracking the code became a big internet project for awhile.

But, even 70 years later I guess even WWII still has its secrets. Those spooks are so paranoid you know.

Freddy the Pig · #44 11-06-2012, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dimmy derko

I can't concentrate on what the code possibly meant as I'm still trying to get my head around a bomber crew taking an Emergency Homing Pigeon with them. Did they have little cages for them or were they tucked in the rucksack as standard kit?

Just because the message was addressed to bomber command, is there any reason to think it was released from a bomber? (My workplace is blocking the linked article so I can't read it.) Isn't it more likely it was released from a coastal or offshore spotter?

Elmer J. Fudd · #45 11-06-2012, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddy the Pig

Just because the message was addressed to bomber command, is there any reason to think it was released from a bomber? (My workplace is blocking the linked article so I can't read it.) Isn't it more likely it was released from a coastal or offshore spotter?

A spotter on the coast or even an island would likely have a landline to HQ.

Chefguy · #46 11-06-2012, 10:28 AM

It's clear to me that this pigeon was the forerunner for a general coo.

BMalion · #47 11-06-2012, 11:14 AM

He flipped us the bird!

Nunzio Tavulari · #48 11-06-2012, 12:44 PM

"Just picked up a shortwave transmission from Amelia Earhardt. Her plane has gone down over the Pacific but she and the navigator are fine. Reports that they have enough food and survival supplies for eight months. She requests pickup at the following coordinates when convenient."