Beach Comber (designated as "Pigeon – NPS.41.NS.4230") was a Canadian
war pigeon
Homing pigeons have long played an important role in war. Due to their homing ability, speed, and altitude, they were often used as military messengers. Carrier pigeons of the Racing Homer breed were used to carry messages in World War I and Wor ...
who received the
Dickin Medal for bravery in service during the Second World War.
On 19 August 1942, Beach Comber arrived in Britain, despite hazardous conditions, from
Dieppe
Dieppe (; Norman: ''Dgieppe'') is a coastal commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of northern France.
Dieppe is a seaport on the English Channel at the mouth of the river Arques. A regular ferry service runs to N ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
carrying a message from the
Canadian Army
The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also res ...
alerting commanders of their landing there, marking the start of the
Dieppe Raid. As a result, on 6 March 1944, the
People's Dispensary for Sick Animals awarded Beach Comber the Dickin Medal.
Beach Comber remains the only Canadian war pigeon ever to be awarded a Dickin Medal, and one of only three Canadian animals ever to be so honoured.
See also
*
List of individual birds
This is a list of well-known real birds. For famous fictional birds, see list of fictional birds.
* Águia Vitória, a bald eagle who serves as the mascot for Portuguese football club S.L. Benfica
* Albert Ross, an albatross believed to have bee ...
References
External links
PDSA Dickin Medal
{{War pigeons
Recipients of the Dickin Medal
Individual domesticated pigeons