Secrets of the Lost D-Day Pigeon

During the D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944, a carrier pigeon tasked with relaying secret messages back to England never completed its mission. The bird became trapped in a chimney, where it remained undiscovered for 70 years until David Martin found its skeleton while renovating his home in Bletchingley, Surrey. Attached to the pigeon’s leg was a small red capsule containing a coded message that has baffled modern codebreakers. The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in Cheltenham is now attempting to decipher this mysterious communique.

Mr. Martin uncovered the pigeon’s remains while removing a fireplace during home renovations. Historians believe the bird was dispatched from Nazi-occupied France on D-Day as part of the Allied forces’ communication strategy

The Message

The coded message consists of 27 five-letter or five-number groups, addressed to “XO2” at 16:45. Experts believe XO2 refers to Bomber Command. The sender’s signature reads “Serjeant W Stot,” with the spelling of “Serjeant” suggesting an RAF rather than Army origin.

Decoding Challenges

GCHQ’s modern codebreakers have been unable to decipher the message without additional cryptographic context. They have appealed to retired codebreakers, particularly those who worked at Bletchley Park during World War II, for assistance.

Historical Significance

During the D-Day invasion, carrier pigeons played a crucial role in communication due to Winston Churchill’s radio blackout. Over 250,000 pigeons were used as messengers during World War II. The discovery has sparked interest among historians and pigeon enthusiasts alike. Some are calling for the pigeon to be posthumously awarded the Dickin Medal, the highest decoration for valor given to animals. As the quest to crack this long-lost code continues, it serves as a fascinating reminder of the ingenuity and secrecy that characterized wartime communication efforts.

Here’s a follow up to the mystery:

The message reads:

AOAKN HVPKD FNFJW YIDDC

RQXSR DJHFP GOVFN MIAPX

PABUZ WYYNP CMPNW HJRZH

NLXKG MEMKK ONOIB AKEEQ

WAOTA RBQRH DJOFM TPZEH

LKXGH RGGHT JRZCQ FNKTQ

KLDTS FQIRW AOAKN 27 1525/6

The decades-old mystery surrounding a coded message found on a carrier pigeon has finally been partially solved. The message was sent by Sergeant William Stott, a 27-year-old paratrooper from the Lancashire Fusiliers, during a crucial reconnaissance mission in Nazi-occupied Normandy just before D-Day. Sgt. Stott was parachuted into Normandy to gather intelligence on German forces in the area. The message, intended for HQ Bomber Command at RAF High Wycombe, contained updates on his mission and requests for additional information following his early morning drop behind enemy lines. Tragically, Sgt. Stott was killed in action just weeks after sending this message, adding poignancy to its discovery decades later. The breakthrough in decoding came from an unexpected source – a Canadian research team led by Gord Young from Peterborough, Ontario. Young stated, “We have been able to unravel most, but not all, of the so-called unbreakable code found with the pigeon remains.” This partial decryption has shed light on a small but significant piece of World War II history, revealing the dangerous work of reconnaissance personnel like Sgt. Stott in the lead-up to the D-Day invasions. The message serves as a testament to the bravery of those who risked their lives gathering crucial intelligence during the war. While some of the code remains undeciphered, this development represents a significant step forward in understanding the contents of the long-lost message and honoring the memory of Sergeant William Stott.

The researchers now believe the message reads:

"Artillery observer at 'K' Sector, Normandy. Requested 

headquarters supplement report. Panzer attack - blitz. 

West Artillery Observer Tracking Attack. Lt Knows extra 

guns are here. Know where local dispatch station is. 

Determined where Jerry's headquarters front posts. 

Right battery headquarters right here. Found headquarters 

infantry right here. Final note, confirming, found Jerry's 

whereabouts. Go over field notes. Counter measures 

against Panzers not working. Jerry's right battery central 

headquarters here. Artillery observer at 'K' sector Normandy. 

Mortar, infantry attack panzers. Hit Jerry's Right or Reserve 

Battery Here. Already know electrical engineers headquarters. 

Troops, panzers, batteries, engineers, here. Final note 

known to headquarters."

Other parts of the code will require further deciphering but Mr Young thinks they may be confusing on purpose to dupe German soldiers who may have picked up the letter.

Interesting that the 135 character coded message can be decoded into so much text, about 100 words. At first I thought A might stand for Artillery, but it’s obviously more complicated than that.