Some Canadians have cracked the code found on that dead pigeon

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Some Canadians have cracked the code found on that dead pigeon

Posted: 12/15/2012 10:57:57 PM EDT

A victory for amateur historians everywhere. I haven't found an official press release yet but the story has made some tabloids and seems legit.

The Daily Mail

The dispatch, sent by 27-year-old Sergeant William Stott, identified German troop and panzer tank positions in Normandy and highlighted ‘Jerry’ headquarters and observation posts to target for attacks.
It read: ‘Hit Jerry’s right or reserve battery here.
'Troops, panzers, batteries, engineers, here.
'Counter measures against panzers not working.’

Apparently the pigeons were sent in pairs, so while one died in a chimney the other may have reached it's destination. The sender was also KIA a few weeks after the message was sent. This article from a few weeks ago has a lot more information on Gord Young and his decryption efforts:

Taking a crack at Second World War pigeon message code

Young is the editor of Lakefield Heritage Research, a group of volunteers who help people research Peterborough military history. He characterizes some of the messaging as “crib notes” and said he has seen similar coding in his great-uncle’s First World War book and other similar material that has passed through his hands over the years.

Young believes the message was sent by an artillery observer stationed on the front lines in Normandy, France, updating his superiors on German enemy movements.

“It’s artillery code,” Young said. “You often see the same crib notes like that. A few of them are quite common.”

Posted: 12/15/2012 10:59:42 PM EDT

[#1]

That's really awesome

Posted: 12/15/2012 11:00:45 PM EDT

[#2]

That's very cool OP.

VERY cool indeed !

Posted: 12/15/2012 11:01:55 PM EDT

[#3]

I completely forgot about that, since I figured I would never hear about it again.

That's very, very awesome.

Posted: 12/15/2012 11:02:57 PM EDT

[#4]

Wow, I thought this was going to be one of those things that was never solved. Very cool!

Posted: 12/15/2012 11:04:54 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
I completely forgot about that, since I figured I would never hear about it again.

That's very, very awesome.

Yup.

Posted: 12/15/2012 11:09:39 PM EDT

[#6]

Excellent.

Posted: 12/15/2012 11:22:15 PM EDT

[#7]

This story gets better and better.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

Posted: 12/15/2012 11:28:51 PM EDT

[#8]

Whoa.

I just got a VA-Gunnut moment.

Posted: 12/16/2012 2:51:42 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:

That's really awesome

Posted: 12/16/2012 2:52:26 AM EDT

[#10]

Can someone fix this?

Posted: 12/16/2012 3:31:28 AM EDT

[#11]

I was hoping it would say " Hilter sucks Mussolini's schwanz"

Posted: 12/16/2012 3:39:55 AM EDT

[#12]

So Canadians are good for something after all? If only Targettarget had lasted long enough to hear the news.

Or, maybe he's the one who cracked the code with all of his new found (not Newfound) free time.

Posted: 12/16/2012 3:44:04 AM EDT

[#13]

Not buying it.

DJHFP = Determined Jerry’s Headquarters Front Posts

RBQRH = Right Battery [Head] Quarters Right Here

Why would Head Quarters be abbreviated "H" in one line and then "Q" right after?

Why not HQ as everyone knows it as?

Posted: 12/16/2012 7:13:59 AM EDT

[#14]

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/12/16/world-war-2-pigeon-code-cracked_n_2311364.html

Posted: 12/16/2012 7:41:36 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/12/16/world-war-2-pigeon-code-cracked_n_2311364.html

I've cracked the code from the headline of the above story:

"Candian" = Canadian

Posted: 12/16/2012 8:01:01 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
That's very cool OP.

VERY cool indeed !

Posted: 12/16/2012 8:34:52 AM EDT

[#17]

Fail. It really said, "Be sure to drink your Ovaltine."

Posted: 12/16/2012 8:38:15 AM EDT

[#18]

Awesome.

Posted: 12/16/2012 8:40:15 AM EDT

[#19]

Another of the war's little mystery solved.

Posted: 12/16/2012 8:57:35 AM EDT

[#20]

Posted: 12/16/2012 9:01:31 AM EDT

[#21]

neat! Never expected to hear anything this soon.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Some Canadians have cracked the code found on that dead pigeon

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