Index

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Aarschot, Belgium, 47–8, 264

Abwehr: Section IIIF, 109, 124, 152, 156–8, 194; Hauskapelle network, 152

Admiralty: co-compiles questionnaire for agents, 23; suspects captured pigeon, 93; denies help to Columba, 114

aerial photographs, 32–3

Air Ministry: coordinates pigeon service, 18; co-compiles questionnaire for agents, 23; antipathy towards Columba team, 218–19; and use of pigeons in invasion of Europe, 253; and post-war role of pigeons, 280

Albert I, King of the Belgians, 69

Amies, Hardy, 129–30, 132, 134, 144, 193, 197–8, 267–8

Annan, Noel, 27

Ardoye, near Lichtervelde, Belgium, 14

Army Group, 21st (Allied), 266

Army Pigeon Service: Special Continental Section, 22, 279; uses anti-hawk unit, 92, 97; conflict with Air Ministry, 218

Arnhem, 258–9

Atlantic Wall, 104

Audacious, SS, 247

Baden-Powell, Olave, Lady, 211

Baldwin, Stanley, 34

Barrett, G., 219

‘Battle of the Beams’, 35, 116, 281

Battle of Britain (1940), 36

Beach Comber (pigeon), 237

Beaver (intelligence network), 196

Belgium: invaded and occupied by Nazis, 1–3, 7, 53, 67; pigeon racing in, 9; pigeon service in World War I, 16; and German preparations for invasion of Britain, 32, 37, 41, 64, 101; intelligence agents in, 32, 101; food taken by Germans, 40; in World War I, 47–50; resistance organisations, 53–4, 83, 118; coastal defences against potential British attack, 58, 104–6; collapses, 70–1; under German military administration, 109; anti-aircraft defences, 115; escape networks for prisoners and British servicemen, 118–20; low priority for clandestine operations, 130; British intelligence services rivalries in, 133, 190–2; intelligence services in exile government in London, 133–4; agents dropped by parachute, 139; Congo revenues, 139; close-knit population, 148–9; agents captured, 174–6, 184–7; intelligence networks penetrated and collapse, 179, 192–3, 196; suspected traitors undiscovered, 197–8; Allies liberate, 266–7

Berlin: bombed by RAF, 116

Bletchley Park: Enigma decrypts, 31, 93; pigeons at, 142

Blunt, Anthony, 126

Bochum, Germany, 227

Bodicker (or Boedecker), Georg, 109–11, 124, 152, 157, 180–1, 223

Bomber Command: losses to German night fighters, 15; favours carrying pigeons, 163

Boomerang (pigeon technique), 281

Boyle, David, 93

Brautweiler prison, Cologne, 222–4

Brave (intelligence network), 196

Brest, 244

Briel, Le (northern France), 37

Briscoe, Professor, 245

British Army Pigeon Service: disbanded after World War I, 16; established, 19; cooperates with US pigeon service, 247

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC): co-compiles questionnaire for agents, 23; broadcasts received in France and Belgium, 43, 75–6; acknowledges resisters with personal messages, 77; broadcasts on dropping agents by parachute, 139; exposes collaborators, 169; employs Pearson, 217–18; D-Day messages to agents, 256

British Expeditionary Force, 67–8

Brodmeier, Walter, 174

Brussels: MI6 station in, 68; liberated, 267; see also Belgium

Burma: pigeons in campaign, 250–1

Caester, Marcel van, 273, 277

Caiger, Captain James, 280, 282; The Secrets of the Eye, 283

Carhaix, France, 259

Carr, Larry, 159–60, 162, 165, 173, 179

Carruthers, Major, 210–11

Cassart, Jean, 101, 120–2, 139

Cassidy, Major, 210–11, 213–14, 216

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), 283

Chamberlain, Neville, 67

Channel Islands: pigeon sender shot, 86–7

Channon, Sir Henry (‘Chips’), 202

China: use of pigeons, 284

Churchill, Winston: in cartoon, 6; and German invasion threat, 28–9; Jones briefs on radio beam, 35; appointed Prime Minister (1940), 67; and Keyes, 67–8; and Belgian collapse, 70–1; sees message 37, 73, 286; and V for Victory sign, 76; advocates attacks on enemy coasts, 106; and SOE’s activities in Europe, 128, 132; and German V2 attacks, 261

Claribel, Operation, 65

Cockade, Operation, 243–4

Columba, Operation (Secret Pigeon Service): formation and operation, 5–6, 10–11, 15; under Army control, 22; first messages from continent, 38–9, 44; provides hard intelligence, 41–4; early success, 72–3; acknowledged in BBC messages, 77; organises pigeon drops, 80; casualty rate among pigeons, 86; and difficulty of dropping pigeons precisely, 102; fails to make contact with Leopold Vindictive, 114; poor return of dropped pigeons, 114; suspends operations (Jan–March 1942), 115; questionnaires on location of radar stations, 117; drops pigeons for agents, 142; and locations of German radar installations, 168; message 468, 169–71; Jones praises and promotes, 171; Germans use for deception, 194; under threat, 198–9; speed of transmitting messages, 204; returning birds success rate, 206; termination rumours, 206; and political/interservice wrangling, 217–21; conflict with Air Ministry, 218; closure threat withdrawn, 221; prepares for Allied invasion of Europe, 221; focuses on specific information gathering, 237–8; appraised at 1943 ‘Pigeon Conference’, 240; and German planted pigeons, 241–3; incorporates US pigeon service, 251; and invasion of Europe, 253; proposed move to France, 261; helps locate V1 and V2 sites, 263; pigeons captured by Germans, 269; terminated (14 February 1945), 269; achievements, 285–6

Colvi Vecchia, Italy, 249

Comet (evasion network), 119–20, 156–7, 159

Commandos: used in coastal attacks, 106

Courtrai, Belgium, 86

Croix-Caluyau, France, 170

Crowley, Aleister, 202–3, 216

Cullinan, Lieut Col., 212, 214–17

CX reports, 197, 204

D-Day see Europe: Allied invasion plan

Dansey, Claude: character, 19; runs ‘Z’ organisation, 19; supervises MI6’s European operations, 19, 33, 118–19, 131, 144; rivalry with SOE, 31, 132; on paucity of MI6 intelligence, 73; interest in escape work and intelligence, 118, 123; and Page, 131; and Lepage, 133–4; concern over arrests of agents, 196; criticises Langley for overprotecting agents, 198

Debaillie family (Belgium): in Lichtervelde, 2, 45–6, 54–5, 57, 83; photographed, 59–60, 76; awaits further pigeon drops, 80; Raskin stays with, 102; and arrest of Belgian agents, 185, 223

Debaillie, Arseen: and arrival of first pigeon, 45; calls Raskin, 54; gathers intelligence, 56, 105; in family photograph, 59; frustrated in awaiting delivery, 80; contact with Devos, 112; betrayed at Michel’s funderal, 186; taken to German prisons, 223, 227–8; survives dysentery in prison, 230; trial, 231–4; vanishes, 270; sentenced to death and executed, 272–3, 276–7, 286; ashes returned to Belgium, 276

Debaillie, Gabriel, 45, 54, 56, 59, 80, 186–7, 270

Debaillie, Margaret, 45, 55, 59, 75, 78, 84, 100, 151, 186, 276

Debaillie, Marie, 45, 55–7, 59, 75, 78, 84, 100, 151, 186, 276

Debaillie, Michel, 2–3, 45, 54, 59–61, 78, 80, 105, 186, 233

Defence Regulation 9, 91

Dehennin, Joseph, 110–11, 117, 188, 224, 226, 231–2, 273, 277

Denmark: pigeon service, 210

Dessain (Belgian clergyman), 172

Deuxième Bureau (Belgian), 134

Devos, Fritz, 112–14, 117, 149–50, 183–4, 188, 223, 233

Dickin Medal, 237, 250, 279

Dieppe raid (August 1942), 107, 162, 237–8

Dortmund, 273, 276

Double Cross (scheme), 178

Duck, Exercise, 252

Dufour, Hélène, 231, 234, 272

Dufrasne, René, 108, 224–6, 228, 231, 234, 272, 277

Duncan-Sandys, Duncan Edwin, 238

Eckardt, Reinhold, 160

El Guettar, battle of (1943), 249

Elizabeth, Belgian Queen Mother, 69, 189

Enigma: decrypted, 31

Esterwegen, 229, 271

Europe: Allied invasion plan, 221, 243, 251–3; Resistance increases, 254; D-Day 1andings, 256; Allied bombing campaign, 263–4

Falcon Destruction Unit (MI5), 91, 97–8, 255

falcons see hawks

Father Christmas of Normandy, The (codename), 237–8

Favue, Le (French agent), 262

Ferrant, Julien, 87

Fowler, Major General Sir John Sharman, 16

France: intelligence agent in, 32; Resistance activities, 254, 259–60; civilians killed by Allied bombing, 263–4

Freisler, Roland, 231, 277

Freya (German defence unit), 116, 166

Frost, Major (of MI5), 94, 208

Funkabwehr (radio direction-finding), 153

Gaulle, Charles de, 133, 260

Geheime Feldpolizei (GFP), 174, 188

Germany: intelligence on military strength, 25–6; Melland in, 27; invasion threat to Britain, 28–33, 36, 41–2, 64, 93; western advance (1940), 28, 31; bombing campaign against Britain, 34–6; intelligence on new weapons, 34–5; takes food from occupied countries, 39–40; imposes controls on pigeon owners, 54–5; counter-pigeon activities, 86–8; wartime use of pigeons, 92–9; sends undercover agents to Britain, 93; coastal defences against attack, 105–7; counter-intelligence in Belgium, 109; anti-aircraft defences, 115–17; night fighters guided by radar against British bombers, 165–8, 170; penetrates and uses Belgian intelligence network, 179, 192–3; identification of military units, 204; invades Soviet Russia, 222; observes Columba operations, 240–1; plants pigeons for deception, 241–3; and British deception plans, 243–5; low morale of soldiers reported, 254; prepares for Allied invasion, 255–6; use of pigeons after Allied invasion and advance, 264–6; organises resistance in countries conquered by Allies, 265; advanced pigeon techniques, 281

Gestapo: interrogates Leopold Vindictive members, 223–6

GI Joe (US pigeon), 149–50

Giralt, Florentine (aka Florie Dings), 175–6

Goering, Hermann, 89

Grunne, Comte de, 69, 81, 155, 189

Gustav (pigeon), 256

hawks: attack pigeons, 88–90, 96–9; measures against, 91–2

Hess, Rudolf, 27, 40, 202

Himmler, Heinrich, 95

Hitler, Adolf: and Operation Sealion, 30; claims to have secret weapon, 34; orders extended coastal defences (Atlantic Wall), 104

Hockey, Ron, 14, 84

Hooff, Jef van: first drop fails, 125–6; recruited and trained, 126–39; prefers pigeons to radio, 143; second drop attempt succeeds, 144–6; caught in tree on landing, 146–7; activities in Belgium, 148–9, 172; admires Raskin’s map, 150; learns of mother’s death, 152–3; moves to Liège, 152–3; radios messages to London, 153; cooperates with Raskin, 154; meets Thonus in Brussels, 155–6; and Raskin’s contacts with King Leopold, 155; and meeting at Michelli’s, 159; captured and imprisoned, 174, 180, 184, 188, 198; reports Leopold Vindictive arrests to London, 190; MI6 sends to Belgium, 196; not tried with Leopold Vindictive members, 233; survives, 277

Hooper (MI6 traitor), 196

Hope, Captain, 245

Horen, Jacques van, 158, 176–8, 192, 193–5, 242

Ichtegem, near Wijnendal, Belgium, 78

India: accuses Pakistan of using pigeons for espionage, 283

Indian Pigeon Service, 251

Intersection (agent), 179

Invasion Warning Committee (MI14), 28

Ipswich, 121, 209–10, 213–14

Italy: pigeons in, 149

Jackson, Ashley, 14

Jean du Coin Larue (French informant), 263

Jean of the Reception Committee, 194–5

Jempson, Frederick John see Page-Jempson, Frederick John, 131

Joint Intelligence Committee: Sub-Committee on Pigeons, 280–3

Jones, R.V. (Reginald): as scientific advisor to Air Ministry, 34–6; briefs Churchill, 35; on German defences, 116; supports use of pigeons, 117, 143; meets Dansey, 132; concern over RAF bomber losses to German night fighters, 165; learns of German radar and interception installations, 166–8, 171, 212, 240; devises anti-radar system using aluminium foil strips, 169, 171, 255; success in penetrating German defences, 222; learns of German V weapons, 238–9; favours maintaining pigeon research, 281; uses pigeon messages, 285

Jonge, Andrée de (‘Dedeee’; ‘Little Cyclone’), 118–19, 122, 156, 179, 277

Jonge, Frederick de (Andrée’s father), 156–7

Jonks, Stan, 161

Joye, Hector: in Belgian resistance, 46, 54–6, 59, 83; seeks aid from Macq, 102–3; reconnaissance work and mapping in Belgium, 105–7; meets Thonus and Devos, 149; Raskin advises to disappear, 183; family arrested, 185; imprisoned in Germany and interrogated, 222, 224–6, 228; fever in German prison, 230; trial, 231–2, 234; sentenced to death and executed, 272–3, 276, 286; ashes returned to Belgium, 276

Joye, Louise (née Legros), 55, 71, 230

Jungle Joe (pigeon), 150

Keyes, Admiral Roger, 66–8, 70–2, 155

Keys, Herbie, 210, 213, 232

Kirkman, Brigadier, 240

Kleyn, Captain John Leonard: appointed to liaise with BBC, 203–4; clash with Morgan, 205, 207–8, 217; takes pigeons to airfield, 209; keeps log books of pigeon use, 210, 214; and Morgan’s informing Girl Guides of pigeon activities, 212; on Pearson’s reform proposals, 218; and search for V1 sites, 239; writes paper on German observation of Columba, 240–1; lists priority areas after D-Day, 261

Kleyn, Diana, 205

La Basse, 254

Langley, Jimmy, 119, 198

Leduc, Augustin (codenamed Laurent), 152, 181–2, 267

Lena, Operation (German), 93

Leopold III, King of the Belgians: friendship with Keyes, 66–8, 70; Raskin’s relations with, 69–70; surrenders to Germans, 70–1; questioned over Leopold Vindictive, 124; mission to make contact with, 154–5; remarries, 154; and Raskin’s capture, 189

Leopold Vindictive (codename): message 37, 7, 59, 63–5, 72–3, 77, 285–6; symbol, 59; name, 72; BBC acknowledges receipt of message, 78; requests more pigeons, 78–9, 103, 150; requests name change, 81–2, 122; further pigeon drops, 100–1; gathers intelligence on Belgian coastal defences, 104–6; reputation in Belgium, 108–9; relations with Comet network, 119; pigeons fail to reach, 123; Bodicker pursues, 124; divided on use of pigeons, 143; Van Hooff and Thonus tasked to contact and support, 149; incommunicado, 151; Frederick de Jonge’s contact with, 156; survivors from arrest, 183; and arrests of agents, 188, 190; contacts with MI14, 191–2; MI6 establishes contact with, 191; members interrogated by Germans, 223–7; members tried in Germany, 230–4; uncertain fate of members, 270; Sûreté investigates at war’s end, 277

Lepage, Fernand, 133–5, 138, 196, 267

Le Queux, William, 48

Lichtervelde, Belgium, 2, 13, 15, 45–6, 57, 61, 75, 101–2, 185–6, 270

Liddell, Guy, 93, 96, 98, 245, 246

Liège, 152–3

Lisbon, 120, 122–3

Lockhart, Guy, 162

Long, Leo, 26

Loudun, France, 88

Luc (intelligence network), 119, 188

Lulu (of French resistance), 259

Lysander aircraft, 13, 23

Macq, Clément: Joye negotiates with to send messages, 102–4, 108; sees Raskin’s maps, 107; arrested, 184; on Muylaert’s boastfulness, 187; interrogated, 224–6; on Raskin’s self-sacrifice, 227; life in prison, 228; tried, 231, 234; on Raskin’s attitude at trial, 235; prison sentence, 272; and Raskin’s fate, 273; survives, 277

Manfriday/Intersection operation, 193

Manningham-Buller, Mary, 236–8

Manningham-Buller, Reginald, 236, 282

Marc (intelligence network), 119, 188

Meister (German pigeon), 269

Melland, Brian: background and character, 26–7; oversees Columba, 26, 28, 37; on possible German invasion plans, 41; receives message from Lichtervelde, 62; and low return of dropped pigeons, 114–15; and non-sending of pigeons to Raskin, 144; receives message from Ville de Landrecies, 169, 190; unaware of MI6’s activities, 190–1; and Kleyn, 205; defends pigeon service, 206, 207; as witness at Morgan’s court martial, 215–16; hostility to Morgan, 217; and Osman’s politicking, 220; and search for V1 sites, 239; attends 1943 Pigeon Conference, 240; on planted German pigeons, 242; letter from Pearson after D-Day, 260–1; post-war correspondence with Sanderson, 284–5; visits post-war Germany, 284; death, 284

message 37 (from Leopold Vindictive), 7, 59, 62, 64, 72, 77, 190, 285–6

MI3, 26

MI5: counters German pigeon service, 92–6, 98–9; on Abwehr IIIF, 109; investigates Belgian intelligence failure, 193–6; and Kleyn-Tredegar conflict, 207; preserves secrecy of D-Day plans, 254; and post-war Sub-Committee on Pigeons, 280, 283

MI6 (Secret Intelligence Service): and dropping of agents in enemy territory, 13; in Switzerland, 19–20; undercover officers, 19; and human intelligence, 31, 33; reputation and effectiveness, 31–2; delays in transmitting reports to London, 33; scepticism over use of pigeons, 34, 143–4, 195; and German invasion threat, 37; station in Brussels, 68; paucity of intelligence, 73; in Lisbon, 120; takes over Leopold Vindictive liaison, 123–4; agents flown into Belgium, 125, 128; rivalry with SOE, 131–3, 158; supports Lepage, 135; sends Van Hooff to Belgium, 143; seeks contact with Leopold Vindictive, 144; suspicion of other intelligence agencies, 144; agents cooperate with SOE in Belgium, 158; keeps MI114(d) uninformed, 190–2; establishes contact with Leopold Vindictive, 191; and collapse of Belgian intelligence networks, 192, 195–6; and MI5 investigation into Belgian failures, 196; traitors in, 198; appreciates value of pigeons, 239–40; on post-war role of pigeons, 281, 283

MI9, 25, 118–20

MI14: organisation and role, 25–6, 28; and German invasion threat, 30–2, 36; requests MI6 agents in potential invasion ports, 33; use of pigeons, 36, 203; unaware of Van Hooff-Thonus mission, 144; uninformed by MI6, 190–2; fears responsible for arrest of Raskin, 192; and rumours of termination of Columba, 206; and Osman’s politicking, 220; and German use of pigeons to deceive, 242; on post-war role of pigeons, 281

MI14(d): ‘Special Continental Pigeon Service’, 25–6; pigeon messages from Leopold Vindictive, 80–1; lacks influence with Admiralty, 114; and Morgan’s administration, 207; ends threat to close down Columba, 221; and search for V1 sites, 239; keeps cartoon of Hitler and pigeon, 284

Michelli, Henri: as agent in Belgium, 118–20, 123, 150–1, 156, 158–60; captured and interrogated, 172–6, 179, 184, 188; and Van Horen, 178, 193; survives, 277

Middle East Pigeon Service, 251

Military Intelligence: accepts idea of using pigeons, 22; co-compiles questionnaire for agents, 23

Miller, Lee, 268

Mohring, Major (of Abwehr), 109

Monckton, Sir Walter (later Viscount): defends Tredegar (Morgan), 213–16

Mont St Michel, France, 42–3

Montgomery, General Bernard Law, 263

Montgomery, Lieutenant Colonel, 252

Morelle, Charles, 173

Murphy, Flight Lieutenant Alan (‘Sticky’), 121

Muylaert, Maurice, 108, 110–11, 187, 226, 230, 232–3, 273, 277

National Pigeon Service (NPS), 17–18, 94–5, 205, 218–19

Netherlands: German radar installations in, 167–8; all intelligence agents captured, 192; German pigeons planted, 241

Newmarket, 12

North Africa: US army pigeons in, 249

Norway: Germany invades (1940), 30; German coastal defences, 104; deceit pigeons dropped, 244

Observer Corps, 96

Office of Strategic Services (OSS), 250

Official Secrets Act, 200, 209

Opperdoes, Belgium, 167

Osman family, 15, 236

Osman, Lieut.-Col. Alfred Henry, 15

Osman, William, 16–17, 219–20

Paddy (pigeon), 256

Page (-Jempson), Frederick John, 130–1, 134–8, 149, 151, 159, 165–6, 193, 267

Panzer Korps, 1st (German), 254

Papenburg convent, 231

Papua New Guinea, 250

Paris: 1870 siege, 9, 88, 94

Parthenay, Deux-Sèvres, 263

Pas-de-Calais: in British deception over invasion plans, 244

Patton, General George S., 249

Pearson, Rex: background, 19–20; proposes separate pigeon Intelligence Service, 20–2, 217; sees message 37, 72; on difficulty of contacting Leopold Vindictive, 114–15; offers use of Columba birds to SOE, 141, 143; on elimination of German radar post, 168; replaced by Morgan, 203–4; shows documents to visitors, 214; employed by BBC, 217–18; and American pigeon service, 251; letter to Melland after D-Day, 260–1

Peenemünde, 238

peregrine falcons see hawks

Periwig, Operation, 84

Petaval, Major, 243

Philby, Kim, 68

Pieren, Eric, 110–11, 226, 267

‘Pigeon Conference’ (9 July 1943), 240

pigeons: unpopularity, 8–9; early use for message-carrying, 9; fancying (and racing), 9, 15, 206, 209; role in World War II, 10; dropped in enemy territory, 13–15, 21–2; in World War I, 15–16, 21–2, 88; registered in wartime Britain, 17, 92; agents’ questionnaire compiled, 23–4, 37; experimental dropping by parachute, 23; first operation, 24–5; messenger service in Blitz, 34; first intelligence messages received from continent, 37–44; ownership controlled in German occupied territories, 54–5; messages handled on arrival, 61; dropped and not found in Belgium, 85; fall into German hands, 86–7; vulnerability to hawks, 88–91, 96, 255; foreign birds slaughtered, 92; German use of, 92–9; at RAF Special Duties airfield, 140; carried by parachuted agents, 140–2; care of, 141–2; carry messages from crashed aircrew, 163–4; and detection of German radar stations, 167–8; MI5 criticises use of, 195; breeding for success, 206; and political/inter-service wrangling, 219–20; awarded Dickin Medal, 236–7, 250, 279; carry microfilms, 239; numbers available, 240; planted by Germans, 241–2; in British deception plans, 243–6; American use of, 247–50; carry D-Day messages, 256–7; captured from Germans, 268–9; treatment and recognition after war, 278–9; role in future war, 280–3; casualties, 286

Plate, Willy (aka Peeters), 152, 157, 180–1

Plymouth, 209, 256

Pontorson, 42–3

Praet, Julian, 184

Prescott, Colonel, 216

Racing Pigeon (magazine), 15, 17–18, 220

radar: developed, 35; German, 116–17, 165–8, 170; foiled by dropping aluminium strips, 168–9

Ralston, Bill, 179

Raskin family, 267, 271–2, 275

Raskin, Father Joseph: in Lichtervelde, 46–7; activities in World War I, 47–51; as missionary priest in China and Mongolia, 47, 51–2; in Belgian resistance in World War II, 54–7; drafts messages for pigeon despatch, 57–9, 61; message 37 received in England, 61–3, 286; acquaintance with Keyes, 66, 70–2; royal connection, 69, 155, 189; reports pigeons handed in to Germans, 79; requests further pigeon drops, 79–81, 84, 150; asks for Leopold Vindictive name change, 81–2; gathers intelligence, 81, 102; helps in escape and evasion operations, 83; meets Macq, 103–4; travels to give religious lectures, 104–5, 117; draws maps of Belgian coastal defences, 106–7; eagerness to send maps to London, 108, 110; and German counter-intelligence, 111; passes message to London via Devos, 113–14, 118–20; message to London never delivered, 122–3; and MI6 involvement, 125; Van Hooff and Thonus bring no pigeons for, 143; meets Thonus and Devos, 149; German search for, 152; Van Hooff cooperates with, 153–4; and Starck, 180; arrested, 181–2, 188, 191; Laurent meets, 181; sends messages from Saint-Gilles prison, 182–3; messages smuggled, 189; treatment after arrest, 189–90; arrest known in London, 191; imprisoned and interrogated in Germany, 222, 224, 226–8; celebrates mass in prison, 228; composes messages from German prisons, 228–9; life in German prisons, 229–30; trial, 230, 232–5; prepares microfilms, 240; fate (execution), 271–5, 286; ashes returned to Belgium, 276

Raskin, Justin, 276

‘Rat Week’ operation, 129

Ray, Man, 268

Ray, Mr (Dutch escapee), 214

Rayner, William Dex Lea: runs Air Ministry pigeon section, 18–19; and Schneidau, 140; and SOE rivalry, 141; conflict with Army pigeon service, 218, 252–3, 257, 280; on qualities of pigeons, 278; not informed of Columba success rate, 279; clash with Caiger over use of pigeons, 280–1, 283

Resistance: nature of, 38; in Belgium, 53–4, 83; increases for Allied invasion and advance, 254, 259–60

Roberts, Jesse, 83

Roberts, Madame (née Anna de Bruycker): background, 83; friendship with Raskin, 108; introduces Muylaert to Raskin, 108; introduces Raskin to Michelli, 118; collaborates with Michelli, 150, 156, 173, 175; friendship with Florentina Giralt, 175; Raskin warns, 183–4; arrested, 184; imprisoned and released, 277

Robertson, T.A. (‘TAR’), 243, 265, 283

Rohm, Ernst, 202

Royal Air Force (RAF): drops agents in enemy territory, 13–15, 139; uses pigeons, 17, 162–5; Special Duties Squadron, 139–40, 240, 256; crashed crews rescued and helped to escape, 160–4; and conflict with Army over pigeon service, 219; discontinues use of pigeons for search and rescue, 280

Royal Corps of Signals: Carrier Pigeon Section, 22, 203

Royal Victoria Patriotic School, Wandsworth, 127, 130, 132

Saint-Gilles prison, Belgium, 182

Salz, Lieutenant Irwin F., 247, 251–2

Sanderson, L.H.F. (‘Sandy’): in MI14(d), 27–8; and German invasion threat, 29–31, 37, 41, 204; sees intelligence reports, 32; and compilation of pigeon questionnaire, 37; and hard intelligence sent by pigeon, 42; receives message 37 from Lichtervelde, 62, 64, 190; and follow-up to message 37, 81; and non-sending of pigeons to Raskin, 144; unaware of MI6’s activities, 190; post-war correspondence with Melland, 284–5

Sauvage, Madame (of Liège), 197

Schneidau, Philip (Agent ‘Felix’), 140–1

Scotch Lass (pigeon), 239

Scottish Society for the Protection of Wild Birds, 90

Sealion, Operation (German invasion plan), 30

Sequedin, near Lille, 254

SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force), 253, 265–6

Shepherd, Major, 276

Shoebridge, Ron, 173, 179

Signal Pigeon Companies (US): 280th, 247, 251–2; 282nd, 268; 285th, 268

‘Smokey Joe’ (water diviner), 31

Sondell, Friesland, 167

Special Air Service (SAS), 253–8

Special Operations Executive (SOE): formed, 31; in Lisbon, 120; sends agents into Europe, 128; Van Hooff joins, 129; rivalry with MI6, 131–3, 135, 158, 191, 195; bad relations with Lepage, 134–5, 196; agents carry pigeons to acknowledge safe landing, 141–2; agents cooperate with MI6 in Belgium, 158; and collapse of Belgian intelligence networks, 192, 194, 197; unaware of intelligence failures, 193, 195; suspects Belgian Sûreté, 196–7; and Kleyn-Tredegar conflict, 208; coordinated by SHAEF, 253

Spencer, Lieut. Thomas H., 247, 251–2

Starck, Jean, 180, 272

Steinhoff (Catholic priest), 273–5

Sûreté (Belgian), 133, 139, 143, 187, 195–6, 267–8, 277

Swann, Captain G.F., 245, 266

Tackley, Oxfordshire, 236

Tempsford airfield, 139, 144, 205, 244

Thérèse, Countess, 268

Thomas, Selby, 219

Thonus, Marcel: in failed first drop, 125–6, 132; drinking, 138, 151; parachuted into Belgium, 143–5, 147–50; as radio operator, 150–1; radio fails, 151, 155–6; loses nerve, 156; plans departure from Belgium, 156, 159; captured, 170, 184–5, 188, 233; in Brussels, 173, 272; and Carr, 179; denies denouncing agents after arrest, 187–8; MI6 sends to Belgium, 195; survives, 277

Tidworth, Wiltshire, 247

Tillegem chateau, near Bruges, 65, 73

Tommy (pigeon), 167

Totes, Normandy, 262

Tower, Commander Cyril, 168

Tredegar, Evan Morgan, 2nd Viscount: court martialled and severely reprimanded, 200, 209–16; background and lifestyle, 201–3, 207, 215–16; marriage and divorce, 203, 216; takes charge of Carrier Pigeon Service, 204, 206–7; relations with Kleyn, 205, 207; death (1949), 216

United States of America: army pigeon service, 247–9, 251, 258; supplied with wartime British pigeons, 253; First Army uses pigeons on D-Day, 257; and post-war role of pigeons, 282

V for Victory campaign, 76–7

V1 flying bombs, 238, 261–2

V2 rockets, 238–9, 261, 267

Valenciennes, 146–7

Vandael, Jean, 119–20, 122–3, 125, 144, 149, 158

Venlo incident (November 1939), 31

Verhaeghe, Father Remi, 107, 183, 189

Ville de Landrecies, France, 169

Walker, Richard Melville, 94, 96, 98, 220–1, 245–6, 255, 265, 269, 282

Wannsee conference (1942), 231

Wauquez, Gérard, 173

Weasel (agent in Belgium), 193

Wells, H.G., 203

White, Dick, 265

Wijnendal, Belgium, 78, 103

William of Orange (pigeon), 258

Window (British counter-radar system), 170–1

Winkie (pigeon), 164–5

Woodman, Bert: operates in Plymouth, 17–18, 34, 209; on cylinder with explosives, 62; and Falcon Destruction Unit, 91; and official control and destruction of pigeons, 93–4; delivers birds to RAF airfields, 163; and Australians’ consumption of pigeons, 164; refers to Channel as ‘the moat’, 207; cooperates with Americans, 251–2; sees invasion preparations, 256

World War I (1914–18): pigeons in, 15–16, 21–2, 88

World War II: recruiting of intelligence agents abroad, 21; ends, 271

Wuppertal, 229

Wurtzburgs (German interception structure), 166

Yank (US pigeon), 249

‘Z’ organization, 19

Zero (intelligence network), 119, 188, 196

Zitter, Prosper de, 157, 175

Zurich: British military intelligence in, 19