The British Army Pigeon Service was widely used for routine communications during the First World War. Trained pigeons were particularly useful once troops had advanced or retreated beyond prepared field telephone lines. They were also used as as back-up to radio on warships and seaplanes.

Army pigeons were willing to fly through heavy bombardment. However, pigeons are trained to fly from where they are released to a known base. Therefore they could only be used from the frontline to the rear, not the other way round.

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