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WWII pigeon who saved aircrew honoured with statue
Winkie's actions helped save the lives of four RAF servicemen.
Winkie saved the lives of an aircrew stranded in the North Sea.

A new statue has been unveiled in Dundee to honour a carrier pigeon who saved the lives of four RAF servicemen in the Second World War.

Winkie helped rescuers locate the crew of a downed plane in the North Sea, for which she became one of the first recipients of the Dickin Medal.

The new bronze sculpture was unveiled on Thursday, 9 November, after a campaign by a local Cubs pack for the bird to be commemorated.

Winkie was on board an RAF bomber that was returning from a mission in Norway on 23 February 1942. Damaged by enemy fire, the plane crashed into the sea.

Like other British planes during the war, a carrier pigeon was kept on board to aid communication when radio could not be used. After the plane crashed, Winkie was sent out by the stranded crew.

Despite being covered in oil, and hampered by bad weather, she managed to fly more than 120 miles to return to her owner George Ross in the Broughty Ferry suburb of Dundee.

Ross alerted the RAF who were able to use information about weather conditions and Winkie’s flight to calculate the location of the downed plane and launch a rescue operation.

The four members of the crew were successfully rescued.

A year later, Winkie was awarded one of the first ever PDSA Dickin Medals, which had been created to honour animals serving in the armed forces.

Councillor Steven Rome said: “It is fitting that Dundee’s latest piece of public art commemorates a special Broughty Ferry heroine – Winkie the pigeon.

“The tale of her exploits has inspired new generations over the decades and I would like to thank the 49th Cubs for playing an important role in securing this statue.

“It will help to ensure that the story of Winkie will never be forgotten.

“I am also pleased that relatives of George Ross have been able to attend this poignant event to unveil the statue, which is fittingly close to Remembrance Sunday.”

Image © Dundee City Council

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VMG president joins House of Lords

News Story 1
 Miles Russell, president of the Veterinary Management Group (VMG), has been elected to the House of Lords as a crossbench hereditary peer.

He will join Lord Trees as a representative of the veterinary sector in the second chamber of the UK parliament.

Lord Russell said: "Those of us working in the animal health and veterinary sectors are only too aware of the importance of the work we do and the challenges we face.

"I will use my platform in the House of Lords to increase understanding of our sectors and to promote positive change." 

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Sixth case of bluetongue confirmed

A sixth case of bluetongue virus serotype 3 has been confirmed in the UK.

The case was detected in an animal on a premises linked to one of the farms within the Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) currently in place near Canterbury, Kent.

In response, the Animal and Plant Health Agency has extended the TCZ. Investigations into the spread of the disease are ongoing.

The cases in Kent come at a time when a new strain of the virus has spread rapidly across farms in the Netherlands. Both the Government and the British Veterinary Association have urged livestock keepers to remain vigilant.

Bluetongue is a notifiable disease and suspected cases must be reported immediately on 03000 200 301 in England or 03003 038 268 in Wales. In Scotland, possible cases should be reported to the local field services office.