Pigeon messager unit in French Division 1940

[Kelvin]

Hi, everyone, I see French divisional Signal unit, apart from normal Radio and Telegraph Units, it had pigeon message unit, it really had pigeon for communication ? And I don't see its German Counterpart had those unit.

[Loïc]

Hello

all the Armies during WWII still use pigeons in their "ranks", even the US Army had its own units and the Germans
viewtopic.php?f=20&t=50909

in the French Army there were small pigeons units almost everywhere throughout the country from the 8 Pigeons-Breeding Centers and 24 Parisian and frontier military Dovecotes to specific field units at the frontline such as the 30 Army Corps detachments Détachements Colombophiles de Corps d'Armée including one in Corsica

at Divisional level it existed pigeons detachments only for the 3 Cavalry Divisions before being converted into DLC, and the DLM or the Divisions in North Africa, at last there were 4 others detachments under GHQ or Army level and 5 further for the Fortified Sectors of the Alps, but pigeons could be simply outside all these specialized units

mobile dovecote Interwars and 1939-1940



http://atf40.1fr1.net/t3128-et-les-pigeons-voyageurs
1939-1940

[Kelvin]

Hi, Loic, thank for your help.

[Leo Niehorster]

Greetings, Loïc!

Any details regarding the number of pigeons in the various units?

--
Leo

[Loïc]

hello

for both main pigeons units

~the Army Corps Detachments should have 400 to 620 pigeons according to a Mémento of 1937;
540 according to the Aide-Mémoire de l'Officier de Cavalerie (1935)
~the Cavalry/DLM Detachments 120

the Sappers could establish separate posts with wickers baskets transporting 12 to 16 or 20 pigeons
it existed several models to transport them detailed there by black and white plates
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k ... checontact

this one was taken in Tunisia early 1943, 45th Signals Battalion

[Leo Niehorster]

Thank you. Loïc.
The Bibliothèque nationale de France does have nice documents to download!

--
Leo

[Kelvin]

hello

for both main pigeons units

~the Army Corps Detachments should have 400 to 620 pigeons according to a Mémento of 1937;
540 according to the Aide-Mémoire de l'Officier de Cavalerie (1935)
~the Cavalry/DLM Detachments 120

the Sappers could establish separate posts with wickers baskets transporting 12 to 16 or 20 pigeons
it existed several models to transport them detailed there by black and white plates
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k ... checontact

this one was taken in Tunisia early 1943, 45th Signals Battalion

Hi, Loic, I also thank you for that number.