French soldier posing for a photograph with a basket with pigeons, ca. 1916
French soldier posing for a photograph with a basket with pigeons, ca. 1916. . Colourised by 'DURIEZ Frederic' on Flickr. . Pigeons were used extensively to deliver messages over long distances during the First World War. The small size and fast speed of pigeons made them ideal for this job, as it was almost impossible for an enemy to shoot it down with a rifle. . As early as the First Battle of the Marne in September 1914, the French had 72 pigeons, which played a large role in communicating the relative positions of troops in order to decisively defeat the Germans in that battle. . Pigeons were also used in tanks as means of communication with the outside world, as shown in the photograph. The pigeons were even awarded medals for their bravery, such as the French pigeon "Vaillant" (Valiant; Brave), which on June 4, 1916 during the Battle of Verdun successfully delivered a message from the Fort Vaux to headquarters, through gas and German rifle fire. For h...