"PADDY" band number was NPS 43 9451 born in 1943 he returned to Carnlough after his wartime service and died in 1954 at the age of 11.
He was owned and bred by Captain Andrew Hughes who had seen service during the Great War and was jointly trained by John McMullan of Carnlough, Northern Ireland.
His early service was with the RAF serving with Air Sea Rescue he impressed the military no end as was seconded to a special unit of the US First Army and arrived in France two days before the Normandy landings in June 1944.
His secret mission code was named U2 and on the morning of the 12th June 1944 at 0815 hours “Paddy’s” mission began. He flew 230 miles in a record 4 hours and 50 minutes the fastest time recorder during Operation Overlord and landed back at his loft in Hampshire with his coded information. If the operation was not perilous enough, not just by the war conditions, but by special German units aiming to take out Paddy and his colleagues; a series of hawks were stationed in Calais to intercept the pigeons.
It was on the 1st September 1944 that his was award of the Dickin Medal was cited, which is awarded for conspicuous gallantry or devotion to duty while serving in military conflict.
The Dickin Medal is the highest awarded medal to be given any war service animal, it is often described as being “the animals’ Victoria Cross”.
Paddy’s medal citation reads “For the best recorded time with a message from the Normandy Operations, while serving with the RAF in June, 1944.”
“Paddy” is Northern Ireland’s only recipient of the Dickin Medal.
The plaque was unveiled at Carnlough, harbour wall on Saturday the 19th September 2009 by 88 year old pigeon fancier, John McMullan, who had helped train Paddy along with his good friend Captain Andrew Hughes.
Sadly John passed away three days after unveiling the plaque.
Not the only famous “Paddy” from Northern Ireland who served during the Second World War to have a song written about them, but what a tribute.
follow this link:
http://pigeonsincombat.com/paddy-the-pigeon-sung-by-john-ri…
Sources:
PDSA
Pigeons in Combat
BBC
Belfast Telegraph
