TRAINING MEMORANDUM FOR TRAINING PIGEONS IN INDIA

TRAINING MEMORANDUM FOR TRAINING PIGEONS IN INDIA

           

            A training memorandum recently received from UK contains much valuable material on the individual training of pigeons. The memorandum is reproduced for the information of Commanding Officers and officers connected and unconnected with the training of carrier pigeons who should give this document their personal undivided attention. Language difficulties do not appear great as it is understood that these birds are normally weaned from their Arabic parents at five weeks of age in order to ensure that they coo in perfect in Urdu.

Training Memorandum No 00000

1.         Do not dawdle in flight. The practice of catching insects on the wing is forbidden and will cease.

2.         Start your flight promptly, as soon as briefed. It is a slack bird that stops to wipe his beak on his own loft.

3.         Refrain from alighting on an object just because you see another pigeon there. He may be an enemy agent.

4.         Encourage a loitering pigeon to move on. He may bear the policy letter of which you are carrying the cancellations.

5.         Avoid the company of ‘Tumblers’. Their aerobatics are insidious and waste time, besides being undignified.

6.         Keep a sharp lookout for hawks. If encountered, take avoiding action.

7.         Avoid gratuitous observations on the messages you carry. Remember, you are a carrier, not a critic.

8.         Don’t be puffed up just because you think you are the bearer of an important operational order. It may only be a War Office letter for all you know.        

9.         Fly round high peaks, not over them. This way, you will save altitude and the time wasted in attaining it.

10.       Avoid loose cooing. The very clouds have ears.

11.       Don’t grumble at your grain. Every peck of it has to be brought in by your brave merchant seamen.

12.       Keep your beak out of other pigeons’ rations. The greedy bird is seldom air-minded.

13.       Keep your feathers always in good trim. Nothing shows up the slacker like ruffled plumage.

14.       Be careful of your deportment while on duty. Avoid rummaging under your wing with your beak.

15.       Have your plumage overhauled when off duty. Carry out frequent pinion inspections on your own. Make full use of the limping stations now established on all trunk flights. Bear in mind that well feathered is well flown.

16.       Be willing flier at all times. Feigning a broken wing is the lowest form of malingering. Leave that to bush birds and the like as unworthy of a War Department bird like yourself.

17.       Take pride in your wing power. Don’t be a penguin.

18        If a superior calls you a ‘Kiwi’, peck his eye out in preference to writing to your MP. No disciplinary action will be taken against you in either case.

19.       If brought down by an ignorant sportsman don’t give in. Try to deliver your message on feet. Remember, it is the staunch carrier who ‘gets there’.

20.       Conserve your strength whenever opportunity offers. If blown off course, make use of one of the many ‘Rest Perches for Storm-Tossed Carrier Pigeon’ (RPSTCP) now established on all regular carrier routes.

21.       Over issues of grain will be written off during the present emergency except in the case of officers.

22.       Remuneration will continue at the normal rates throughout the entire moulting period except in the case of officers.

23.       Promotions in future will be by seniority plus flying in service. To make this clear, a bird with not less than 36 months carrier service may multiply that figure by the hours flown, less the number of feathers lost enroute whichever is greater, except in the case of officers.   

           

            A training memorandum recently received from UK contains much valuable material on the individual training of pigeons. The memorandum is reproduced for the information of Commanding Officers and officers connected and unconnected with the training of carrier pigeons who should give this document their personal undivided attention. Language difficulties do not appear great as it is understood that these birds are normally weaned from their Arabic parents at five weeks of age in order to ensure that they coo in perfect in Urdu.

Training Memorandum No 00000

1.         Do not dawdle in flight. The practice of catching insects on the wing is forbidden and will cease.

2.         Start your flight promptly, as soon as briefed. It is a slack bird that stops to wipe his beak on his own loft.

3.         Refrain from alighting on an object just because you see another pigeon there. He may be an enemy agent.

4.         Encourage a loitering pigeon to move on. He may bear the policy letter of which you are carrying the cancellations.

5.         Avoid the company of ‘Tumblers’. Their aerobatics are insidious and waste time, besides being undignified.

6.         Keep a sharp lookout for hawks. If encountered, take avoiding action.

7.         Avoid gratuitous observations on the messages you carry. Remember, you are a carrier, not a critic.

8.         Don’t be puffed up just because you think you are the bearer of an important operational order. It may only be a War Office letter for all you know.        

9.         Fly round high peaks, not over them. This way, you will save altitude and the time wasted in attaining it.

10.       Avoid loose cooing. The very clouds have ears.

11.       Don’t grumble at your grain. Every peck of it has to be brought in by your brave merchant seamen.

12.       Keep your beak out of other pigeons’ rations. The greedy bird is seldom air-minded.

13.       Keep your feathers always in good trim. Nothing shows up the slacker like ruffled plumage.

14.       Be careful of your deportment while on duty. Avoid rummaging under your wing with your beak.

15.       Have your plumage overhauled when off duty. Carry out frequent pinion inspections on your own. Make full use of the limping stations now established on all trunk flights. Bear in mind that well feathered is well flown.

16.       Be willing flier at all times. Feigning a broken wing is the lowest form of malingering. Leave that to bush birds and the like as unworthy of a War Department bird like yourself.

17.       Take pride in your wing power. Don’t be a penguin.

18        If a superior calls you a ‘Kiwi’, peck his eye out in preference to writing to your MP. No disciplinary action will be taken against you in either case.

19.       If brought down by an ignorant sportsman don’t give in. Try to deliver your message on feet. Remember, it is the staunch carrier who ‘gets there’.

20.       Conserve your strength whenever opportunity offers. If blown off course, make use of one of the many ‘Rest Perches for Storm-Tossed Carrier Pigeon’ (RPSTCP) now established on all regular carrier routes.

21.       Over issues of grain will be written off during the present emergency except in the case of officers.

22.       Remuneration will continue at the normal rates throughout the entire moulting period except in the case of officers.

23.       Promotions in future will be by seniority plus flying in service. To make this clear, a bird with not less than 36 months carrier service may multiply that figure by the hours flown, less the number of feathers lost enroute whichever is greater, except in the case of officers.