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A plaque on the left of Carnlough boathouse D2818 : Carnlough boathouse commemorates "Paddy", a wartime homing pigeon.

PADDY
During World War II, pigeons were used by the forces as message carriers.
Paddy was one of thirty pigeons delivered by RAF Hurn to operational units
of the First US Army on June 8th 1944. They were to be used in connection
with a secret task, code named "U2". Paddy was released in Normandy at
around 8.15am on June 12th, carrying coded Information on the Allied advance.
He returned to his loft in Hampshire in just 4 hours and 50 minutes. This was the
fastest time recorded by a message-carrying pigeon during the Normandy landings.
For his services Paddy was awarded the Dickin Medal on September 1st 1944.
He had previously served at RAF Ballykelly on Air-Sea rescue missions.
Andrew Hughes JP, of Carnlough was the proud owner of Paddy. He handed over
several of his pigeons to be trained, along with others, for service with the Forces.
Paddy lived for eleven years, and to date is the only Irish recipient of the
Dickin Medal, which is the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross.

Larne & District Historical Society
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