“They are athletes”: French army is the last in Europe to train its own carrier pigeon brigade

The French army is the last army in Europe to train feathered soldiers. 150 pigeons are present in a military dovecote. China has trained about 10,000.

As our colleagues at Géo confide, the French army would be the last in Europe to train carrier pigeons. These transmitters of information, so precious in the era when the mobile phone and today's communications did not exist. More than useful especially during wars like that of 1914-1918.

200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000

There are more than 150 pigeons – although their military activity was stopped in 1960 – which are trained at Mont Valérien, not far from Paris, which is also the last military dovecote in Europe. These flying soldiers are also trained for demonstrations, commemorations and competitions.

Read also: Homing pigeons in the spotlight at the 80th D-Day

1944

According to our colleagues, they are part of the 8th transmission regiment of the French army. “These birds are not like the pigeons you see in the city. They are athletes capable of traveling up to 1,000 kilometers and reaching speeds of 120 km/h”, explained the sergeant Sylvain, responsible for the dovecote, to the Swiss daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung.

As an anecdote, a British pigeon named Gustav, for example, transmitted in 1944 the first information confirming the success of the Normandy landings.