Museum Notebook: Feathered heroes played vital role during wars
11 Apr, 2021 05:00 PM
4 minutes to read
Homing pigeon leg capsule. Whanganui Regional Museum Collection ref: 2020.59.2a
Whanganui Chronicle
By: Kathy Greensides
A recent donation to the museum collection is a small, inconspicuous object which had us puzzled for a while.
It has two little red plastic cylinders with a piece of red cotton tape wound around, fastened with a metal dome. These objects, plus variations, were used extensively in both world wars and were instrumental in saving many lives. The users were often under fire and some were awarded medals for bravery. Can you guess what it is?