If you make the output slightly less humorous, then I'm sure the papers would leap at it! My first thought at seeing the photo of the message was that the font and format look rather more contemporary than WWII. Anyone else thought the same?
Geoff, Great code breaking! Send it to the Mail online, they'll leap at it, I don't think there is anything they will not put up on their site. I checked the numbers of the pigeons (NURP 40 TW 194 & NURP 37 DK 76] and neither are listed in Osman's World War II Pigeon book which lists those birds which brought back messages. As we know supposedly both pigeons had the coded message it looks like the other pigeon did not make it either. I think NURP 40 TW 194 is the pigeon that was found. NURP.40.TW.194 and NURP.37.OK.76. It is unclear which one relates to the bird in the chimney [from the BBC website] BBC seem to think the D looks like an O, not sure about that. It looks like SOE anyway.
I am interested in learning why the actual red color message container-capsule is identified as being exclusively SOE. There were many patterns of these Containers, mostly clear plastic, some with red end caps and Aluminum. Can anyone prove that these Containers were used solely by SOE? Regards, Clive.
Whilst looking for something else I happend to find this: At last, the secret history of that dead cipher pigeon…Cipher Mysteries | Cipher Mysteries A bit of progress perhaps but still no decription.
Whilst looking for something else I happend to find this: At last, the secret history of that dead cipher pigeon…Cipher Mysteries | Cipher Mysteries A bit of progress perhaps but still no decription. Hi, Interesting stuff but the stuff about the pigeons breeding ,year etc isnt right.My Grandfather (Clifford) flew pigeons for over fifty years.The numbers on the rings do not signify that bird was ,in the case of NURP.37.DK.76 the 76th pigeon to be ringed in 1937 only that that particular ring was serialed DK 76. Then issued to a particular area/club.You cannot even accurately tell from a number when that bird was born likewise the year 1937 whilst the likelyhood is it was born in that year.My Grandfather if Breeding for stock said he would put on an old ring to prevent him being tempted to race that pigeon as a young bird and run the risk of losing a promising stock bird. With the other pigeon NURP 40 TW 194 you know like the 37 bird that the ring was issued in that year ,thats all it tells you, If it was born in 1940 it would have been born Jan-March or March-May any later and the pigeons moult (feather replacement) would hinder any long flights in the later part of that year. August-November are also bad times for moulting birds apparently if a pigeon loses its end flights in its wing there is little point in sending it on a long mission as the likely hood is it could never make the journey. Each year a Racing Pigeon Federation issues a Year Book in that book is a list of Ring prefixes and not only the area they were issued to but the Racing Federation and the Racing Club (of which there could be dozens in one area). Grandfather Clifford knows little, by his own addmission about WW2, but get him talking Pigeons and he`ll talk the hind legs off a Donkey! Best Kyle
Whilst looking for something else I happend to find this: At last, the secret history of that dead cipher pigeon…Cipher Mysteries | Cipher Mysteries A bit of progress perhaps but still no decription. Thanks Mike, a great find.
Try today's Mail on Sunday 'Hit Jerry's panzers here'... code on dead wartime pigeon is cracked | Mail Online
Slightly different version of the decode here: It's a real coo as 'unbreakable' war code found on pigeon in Portland is cracked (From Dorset Echo)
Hmmm, Far from convinced. IS THIS WHAT IT MEANS? AOAKN - Artillery Observer At "K" Sector, Normandy HVPKD - Have Panzers Know Directions FNFJW - Final Note [confirming] Found Jerry's Whereabouts DJHFP - Determined Jerry's Headquarters Front Posts CMPNW - Counter Measures [against] Panzers Not Working PABLIZ - Panzer Attack - Blitz KLDTS - Know [where] Local Dispatch Station 27 / 1526 / 6 - June 27th, 1526 hours I also can't see a WW1 Artillery codebook still being used in WW2 for this type of message. The format might be similar but surely not the exact phrases. Also why would a WW1 book refer to 'K sector Normandy' and 'Panzers'? Of course the Germans had tanks in WW1 but were they referred to as Panzers then? Just seems to be a collection of acronyms that might fit the message.
I find this so-called explanation dubious in the extreme. One account said the Sgt who wrote it was a 'Para in the Lancashire Fusiliers'.
Something from the archives for the pigeon fanciers:HOMING PIGEONS IN TUNISIAN CAMPAIGN 1. During the 46 days that pigeons were available for communication, a total of 657 birds were sent to units at and near the front. a. During this 46 days 215 Urgent, Secret and other vital messages were carried with a 100% delivery of all messages. 2. On 17 March 1943, a pigeon brought in the very first news of the American advance on and occupation of Gafsa, Tunisia. 3. During the height of the battle of El Guettar, Tunisia 45 Urgent, Secret and important messages were delivered; many more could have been delivered during this period except for the fact that there were too few lofts available for the front. 4. On the Mateur-Bizerte front 72 Urgent, Secret and other messages were carried during the 16 days that pigeons were available far communication. 5. On or about 5 April 1943, during the battle of El Guettar, Tunisia, the message center placed four messages on a single bird. Two of these messages were from General Patton, then II Corps Commanding General and were addressed to the C-in-C of the 18th Army Group! and two messages were from other high staff officers, and were addressed to the same place; these messages were marked Secret and Urgent. 6. On or about 1 April 1943 an Urgent-Secret telegram was carried by one of our pigeons from the II Corps Message Center at Gafsa, Tunisia to Tebessa, Algeria, a distance of 90 miles in the short time of 100 minutes. The telegram was from Lieutenant General Patton and it was sent through by pigeon when other means of communication were temporarily out of service due to intense enemy activity and extremely bad weather conditions. 7. Special value was derived from Homing Pigeons by using them to bring in orders for Urgently and critically needed items of ammunition from the front line ammunition dumps to the rear supply depots. a. As a result of this work the G-4 of II Corps stated that the use of pigeons in the difficult country had resulted in the receipt of front line routine daily requirements and reports in excellent time and had appreciably expedited the preparation of consolidated requirements. (These long reports were thus delivered promptly and regularly from widely scattered units, by other than electrical means.) 8. On 6 May 1943 a pigeon brought in the first news to II Corps of the Allied break-through at Tebourba, Tunisia, which led to the capture of Tunis on the following day. 9. On 9 May 1943 a pigeon brought through the very first news of the surrender of the German 10th and 15th Panzer Divisions by almost two hours; a very careful check of this fact has been made and it has been confirmed. The pigeon flew 65 miles in 82 minutes with the message from Major General Harmon addressed to the Commanding General, II Corps; as the First Armored Division had advanced beyond its other lines of communication above Bizerte. 10. During the Tunisian Campaign all units using the pigeons, placed great confidence in them, and very important messages from G-1-2-3 & G-4 were entrusted to them. [Source: TNA WO 204/2930, transcribed by www.arcre.com]
My respect for those critters that crap all over the patio, crap in the bird bath and steal all the bird food by stuffing their crops until full, has just gone up.
It gets better Geoff, the story of GI Joe: HEADQUARTERS 6681ST SIGNAL PIGEON COMPANY (PROV) APO 464 16 November 1943 SUBJECT: Outstanding Performance of Carrier Pigeon TO: Commanding General, NATOUSA, APO 534, U.S. Army (Through Channels) 1. Request that the below listed story, along with picture, be sent to Washington, D.C. for release by the War Department, to newspapers for publication. "Making what is believed the most outstanding flight yet made by a Homing Pigeon during World War II, a blue check splashed cock named "GI Joe", and banded USA-43-SC 6390, came through from the British 10th Corps Headquarters with a message that probably saved the lives of at least 100 Allied soldiers. This story is a result of the 56th Infantry Division having made a request for Air Support to aid in the breaking of the German defense line at the heavily fortified village of Colvi Vecchia, Italy, the morning of 18 October 1943. The message contained information that the British 169th Infantry Brigade, of the 56th Infantry Division, had captured the village of Colvi Vecchia at 10:45 hours just a few minutes before a unit of the Allied XII Air Support Command was due to bomb the town. The pigeon made the trip of some twenty odd miles, from the 10th Corps Headquarters, in the same number of minutes. The message arrived just as the planes were preparing to take off for the target; had the message arrived five minutes later it might have been a completely different story. "GI Joe" was hatched in March 1943 at the Breeding section, then in Algiers, Algeria, and was taken to the Tunisian front for duty on May 1, 1943, but due to being a bit young and due to the fact that the campaign ended he was unable to be used on many missions. After the Tunisian campaign he was moved to Bizerte, Tunisia, where he remained until being moved, with many of his comrades, to the Italian Front for duty on 6 October 1943. "GI Joe's" parents were brought from the United States by members of the 6681st Signal Pigeon Company, and were landed at Safi, French Morocco the morning of 18 November 1943. On his most important mission he was under the supervision of his two friends, Pigeoneers S/Sergeant Robert Steinhaus of Merrill, Wisconsin and T/5 Elroy Rausch of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. If "GI Joe" is living after this war he will be returned to the birthplace of his parents, there to live at Camp Crowder, Missouri as a honored hero of this second world conflict, and a veteran of two major campaigns." /s/ Winton T. Prater /t/ WINTON T. PRATER, 1st Lt., Signal Corps, Commanding [Source: TNA WO 204/2930]
Geoff, I'd be interested in your opinion on this. Could the pigeon message be in Typex? Looking at an old Typex procedures manual it says that the five rotor setting used should be written at the start and end of the message. (However, later the rotor settings were written using a 5 digital symbolic code rather than the actual letters used, perhaps implying an early war message rather than post-Overlord.) The two pigeon numbers imply that the message was sent twice. So perhaps the first message using the Typex paper printout was used on the first message and then copied in longhand for this second message form? Typex cipher messages always included an "X" symbol on them so perhaps the "X02" means second copy of a Typex message? (That would also negate my earlier theorising about my vague memory from an entry in a Signals procedure manual mentioned that a symbol "X" followed by 2 digits refers to a training/test exercise.) Now if I only knew the rotor wiring and reflector wiring I could test out my Typex Sim. Lee
It's possible it is a machine cipher, including Typex. The letter distribution does suggest an advanced system. The repeated group is a common feature of some systems. If it is Typex, then there should be some information to indicate the network otherwise the inner settings would not be known to decipher the message. This can only be 'X02' and the date. I think Typex machines were always in short supply, they could never make enough of them, would this date the message to a later date? Around 20 sets of Typex rotors issued! Incidentally, I don't suppose 'X' is SOE German/Austrian section? I don't think the Typex printout would be carried by pigeon - it's probably too bulky and weighty after its stuck onto a backing sheet to put into the capsule. But who knows? geoff
