Saw this article in The Guardian today about a dog who was recently awarded the medal. It mentioned the pigeons at the bottom. I’m curious about how this whole process works–like, were the pigeons ever presented the medals? I guess I have so many questions but I’ll just leave it at that for now.
PIGEON-POSTS-ONLY: You’ll have to forgive me, my reference book is packed away as I’m in the middle of moving, but I’ll answer this to the best of my ability without it!
Yes, 32 pigeons have received the award. As it is a British award, most of the recipients were British pigeons – although it has been awarded to at least two Australian birds and from memory at least one American pigeon, “G.I. Joe”.
**What did they do?** Carried messages that saved the lives of Allied soldiers. Often through very tough weather and enemy fire. [This is “Cher Ami”](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Cher_Ami_cropped.jpg) (this bird didn’t get the Dickin, she got the Croix de Guerre for service in WW1). Notice the missing leg? She was shot three times and the message capsule was hanging on by a tendon when she returned carrying it.
**Was there a ceremony?** Like I said, my reference book is packed away. But I don’t remember anything in my research that definitively says yes or no. [Pictures](http://www.rpra.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Winkie-1.jpg) like [these](https://imgur.com/a/TxB5e) seem to indicate there may have been, though.
Whaddaya Say?