On the 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month each year we pause to remember those soldiers who died in World War I. During World War I a common way to send messages was via carrier pigeon. Today we have more sophisticated methods of communication and pigeons are now considered more of a pest than a help. But during the first world war they were sometimes the only reliable way of getting vital messages through. For example: Pigeon No 498 was sent by Skipper Thomas Crisp carrying a message asking for help as they had been attacked by a German U-Boat in August 1917. Despite being wounded in one wing by shrapnel Pigeon No 498 delivered his message in time for help to be sent to the crew. Another pigeon struggled against a gale force wind with a message from 4 airmen who had come down in the sea. The bird died from exhaustion upon arrival, but the men were saved. Despite all of these good deeds today we find pigeons a nuisance especially around our solar panels with customers calling for pigeon proofing all the time.