Winkie (pigeon)
Winkiewas a pigeon who won theDickin Medalin 1943 for assisting in the rescue of an aircrew forced to ditch in theNorth Seaduring theSecond World War.[1][2]
Military service
[edit]DuringWorld War II,Winkie was aboard a BritishBristol Beaufortwhen it crashed in theNorth Seaon 23 February 1942 as a result of being badly damaged by enemy fire following a mission toNorway.
Struggling in the freezing waters, the crew remembered Winkie, a blue chequered hen, number NEHU 40 NSL. Sending her was their only chance, as the crew did not have time to radio an accurate position before ditching.
Winkie was set free and flew 120 miles home toBroughty Ferry,where her owner, George Ross discovered the exhausted pigeon. He alerted the airbase atRAF LeucharsinFife,and a search and rescue mission was launched.[3]
Using the time difference from the plane ditching to the arrival of the pigeon in the loft, and taking into account the wind direction and the inhibition to her flight speed caused by oil spoilage to her feathers, theRAFwere able to approximate where the plane ditched. Within 15 minutes, the crew's position had been located and a rescue vessel dispatched.[4]
On 2 December 1943, Winkie was awarded the Dickin Medal. The citation read "for delivering a message under exceptional difficulties and so contributing to the rescue of an Air Crew while serving with the RAF in February 1942." Winkie received her medal fromMaria Dickinin March 1943.
The crew were rescued and later held a dinner for Winkie, who basked in her cage as she was toasted by the officers.
When Winkie died, Ross donated her and her Dickin Medal to Dundee Art Galleries and Museums.[3]
In literature and music
[edit]"Winkie" is the subject of a poem inDouglas Dunn's 1988 collectionNorthlight,published by Faber & Faber (London).
The seventh track, titled "Winkie", onprogressive rockbandBig Big Train's 2016 albumFolkloreis based on the story of Winkie.[5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"Animal war heroes statue unveiled".BBC News. 24 November 2004.Retrieved27 February2010.
- ^Herbert, Ian (23 March 2005)."The hero of the latest British war movie is a pigeon called Valiant. A flight of fancy? No, it's based on real life".The Independent.Retrieved27 February2010.
- ^abBBC: A History Of The World
- ^"The pigeon that saved a World War II bomber crew".BBC News. 23 February 2012.Retrieved1 May2023.
- ^Longdon, David (6 May 2016)."Winkie".David Longdon Blog.Retrieved4 June2016.