BBC Antiques Roadshow fans ‘cry their eyes out’ as WWII medals given to pigeon slapped with huge price tag
BBC Antiques Roadshow viewers were left reaching for the tissues on Sunday evening following a heartwarming backstory to an incredibly rare war medal.
Mark Smith was the expert tasked with evaluating the rare wartime piece, informing viewers that what was in front of him was a Dickin Medal awarded to a pigeon called Mary.
Fiona Bruce then explained that in World War One “more than 16 million animals were put into service – from horses to dogs, but it wasn’t until the Second World War that their service would be properly recognised”.
In 1943, the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals inaugurated a medal for animal bravery and the guests at Pitzhanger Manor revealed their grandfather was the owner of one recipient – Mary the Pigeon.
“What was Mary’s job?” Smith asked to which his guests explained: “Originally she was a racing pigeon but then she was, along with her other pigeons from Granddad’s loft, she was put into the Pigeon Service. She was airlifted and dropped behind enemy lines in France.”
Smith then explained that the pigeons would transport messages from the French Resistance in France to the UK to help in their battle with the Germans.
“That, therefore, means that (Mary) is the James Bond of the pigeon world,” he quipped, prompting laughter from the crowd and the guest to exclaim: “I haven’t thought of her like that!”
Smith then held aloft the small items the pigeons would have to travel with, stating: “They went with these little things here strapped on their legs, bigger ones with messages in them strapped to the back of them. And tell me what that is…”
“A first aid kit that often went with them,” the guest replied before she was asked how many times Mary made the journey.
The guest revealed it was lots but there were three notable occasions that led to her being awarded the medal.
“The first in 1942, she came back and she’d been hawked because the Germans sent up hawks to kill the pigeons so they couldn’t get back,” she said. “She got back that time and needed umpteen stitches which Granddad – being a bootmaker – was able to do himself.
“Then she went out again. Another time she came back and she’d been shot under her wing. More stitches. Off she went again.
“Her last trip, she went off and she was 10 days overdue and they didn’t know where she was, but she was found by a farmer in his field. He got her back to Granddad, she was very seriously injured, tough and go if she’d survive and Granddad made her a little leather collar to keep her neck up.
“But she survived and she was retired from war service after that and she was given the medal.”
Blown away, Smith weighed in: “It’s the highest award for bravery that an animal can be given. It’s one great pigeon, isn’t it?
“It genuinely takes some doing because the messages that are coming back are life or death messages and they’ve got one chance at this and they placed all of their trust in Mary the Pigeon.”
Smith could barely wait any longer and asked his guests if they knew the value of the medal, only to promptly inform them it was worth a staggering £30,000.
“Oh, my goodness! She’s worth every penny,” the gob-smacked guest replied to which Smith said: “I totally agree, I think this has been one of the best things I’ve ever filmed because that little pigeon, so brave!”
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And it wasn’t just Smith who was touched by Mary’s story, with one viewer reacting the feature on X, formerly Twitter: “I’m crying over a pigeon #AntiquesRoadshow.”
“Why am I crying my eyes out at Mary the pigeon? Even before the medal was valued? #antiquesroadshow #pigeon #JamesBond #pdsa,” a second echoed.
A third weighed in: “Wonderful story on #AntiquesRoadshow about Mary the wartime pigeon who flew behind enemy lines in the 1940s to bring back vital secrets. 30K valuation for her bravery medal and worth every penny!”
“I’ve never welled up because of a pigeon before. Thanks #AntiquesRoadshow. Mary is a hero,” added a fourth before a fifth remarked: “#antiquesroadshow what a wonderful story of Mary the WW2 Pigeon and the Dickin Medal! A true hero.”
And a sixth concurred: “Mary the pigeon on Antiques Roadshow. No words. Particularly poignant were the anecdotes about how the owner looked after her.” (sic)