The plaque had been erected in Carnlough, where Paddy was hatched and raised as a homing pigeon.
ShareA plaque paying tribute to one of Northern Ireland's smallest World War II heroes has been destroyed in County Antrim.Paddy the pigeon was awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal on 1 September, 1944, which is given for gallantry or devotion to duty while serving in military conflict and is often known as “the animal’s Victoria Cross”.
Patricia McConnell, chairperson of the Carnlough Community Association Group, says people in the village are “very annoyed”.“It is a feature in Carnlough and we are so proud of Paddy the pigeon," she added. “We had a ceremony here on Thursday to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Paddy the Pigeon and we had a wreath laid at the memorial."So someone had taken it off and thrown it in the water.Paddy joined thousands of other racing birds who were trained and drafted to RAF Hurn in Hampshire for military service.
“We have had a lot of support since people found out what happened from the village and further afield.Charlie McAuley from Carnlough said he was shocked at what had happened."Paddy the pigeon is a story we’ve been told about since I was a child.“I’m quite sure it’s not sectarianism," he added.As radio signals could compromise operations, carrier pigeons were used to ferry important messages back to Britain, with Paddy bringing back vital information about the Allies’ progress.
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