War Memorial poppy-pinching pigeon serves as a ‘poignant reminder’

A pigeon who has been pinching poppies from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Australian War Memorial has been forgiven, but not forgotten.

The pigeon ruffled memorial caretakers’ feathers in a good way when its identity as the thief was revealed, finally solving the mystery of the disappearing poppies.

Each day in the lead up to Remembrance Day the pigeon absconded with the fake flowers laid at the tomb to carefully craft its nest in the Hall of Memory by a stained glass window.

It was preparing for a new life in a place that commemorates death, sacrifice and renewal.

A spokesperson from the War Memorial said its new tenant was a reminder of the battlefield bonds formed with animals.

“The wounded soldier symbolises the defining quality of ‘endurance’, and the nest of poppies nearby is a poignant reminder of the powerful bond between man and beast on the battlefield,” the spokesperson said.

The pigeon is a symbol of war and peace and played a vital role in the war effort.

“One of the surprising things about pigeons is how widely they were used in the Second World War,” one of the AWM’s senior historians Dr Meleah Hampton said.

“Particularly in the Pacific, the mountains and the humidity meant the wireless radios didn’t work very well, so pigeons were actually the most effective way of getting messages up and over the Owen Stanleys, and throughout the islands.”

Pigeons were such a crucial part of the war effort the Australian Corps of Signals Pigeon Service was formally established in 1942, enlisting about 13,500 trained pigeons supplied by pigeon fanciers across Australia to help military communication.

“They become so effective Australia started teaching other armies in the area, like the Americans, how we put our pigeon service together, and helping them to put theirs together and expand,” Dr Hampton said.

“It was huge by the end of the war.”

Two Australian pigeons were awarded the Dickin Medal, known as the Victoria Cross for animals, for their service during the Second World War.

The medal is popularly referred to as the Victoria Cross for animals and is awarded to any animal displaying conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in wartime.