In an unexpected twist of history, a medal honoring the bravery of a pigeon who became a wartime hero has been sold for a remarkable £35,400.

Tommy, the courageous pigeon, received the PDSA Dickin Medal—often referred to as the Victoria Cross for animals—for his incredible role during World War II.

The Journey of Tommy the Pigeon

The story begins in 1942, when Tommy was part of a pigeon race from Dorset to Cumbria.

However, a violent storm threw him completely off course.

Tommy, a blue cock pigeon, found himself in Nazi-occupied Holland, exhausted and far from home.

A Dutch postman discovered the bird in poor condition and passed him on to Dick Dryver, a pigeon fancier and member of the Dutch Resistance.

Dryver quickly identified Tommy as a British pigeon thanks to his leg ring and helped nurse him back to health.

With a vital mission ahead, Dryver attached a message container to Tommy and sent him off on a dangerous flight back to Britain.

During the flight, the Germans, aware of the role pigeons played in sending messages, had begun culling the birds.

As Tommy made his way home, he was shot by a German sniper.

Despite being injured and bleeding, Tommy continued his 400-mile journey back to Dalton-on-Furness in Cumbria.

Tommy’s Heroic Return and the Message

Six weeks after starting the race, Tommy finally returned to his owner, William Brockbank, a blacksmith’s striker.

Attached to him was a Resistance message, which read, “God bless Queen Wilhelmina and long live Winston Churchill.”

The Brockbanks, realizing there might be more to the message, handed it over to the police, who passed it on to British intelligence.

The message provided crucial information, helping the RAF destroy a German arms site in a bombing raid.

Awarding the PDSA Dickin Medal

In 1946, Tommy was awarded the prestigious PDSA Dickin Medal for his vital contribution.

The ceremony took place at the Dutch Embassy in London, where Tommy was celebrated as a war hero.

He became a local celebrity, touring the county and leaving behind a lasting legacy.

A plaque in his honor was placed at Dalton Leisure Centre, and he was buried at the Brockbank family’s pigeon croft.

The Medal’s Remarkable Auction

After passing through generations of the Brockbank family, Tommy’s bravery medal was put up for auction at Laidlaw Auctioneers in Carlisle, Cumbria.

Originally valued at £6,000 to £10,000, the medal sparked a bidding war, ultimately selling for £30,000.

With auction fees included, the final price was £35,400—far exceeding expectations. T
he buyer, believed to be an undisclosed institution, plans to display the medal for the public to admire.

A Piece of History with a Lasting Legacy

Auctioneer Paul Laidlaw expressed his admiration for the rare and poignant medal, calling it an “astonishing story.”

Tommy’s tale is part of a larger history of animals honored for their bravery during wartime, with the Dickin Medal recognizing 74 animals to date, including dogs, pigeons, horses, and even one cat.

Tommy’s legacy was further immortalized in the 2005 film Valiant, which was inspired by pigeons like him who played a vital role in delivering messages during World War II.

The Dickin Medal, founded by Maria Dickin in 1943, continues to honor animals for acts of gallantry, both in wartime and in modern-day military operations.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

Share on Facebook «||» Share on Twitter «||» Share on Reddit «||» Share on LinkedIn