b. ? Musselburgh, Scotland. d. ?
DATE OF DM ACTION: 18/09/1944 Holland.
Scotch Lass DM
She was bred by Mr Collins in Musselburgh, Scotland. She was given the code NPS.4221610 and trained by the National Pigeon Service at RAF Felixstowe. Her service began at RAF Wick before being transferred to Felixstowe to prepare for long flights overseas whilst accompanying small naval craft. She achieved great success with 43 flights from naval crafts in the North Sea and Holland, demonstrating resilience and consistency.
On 18th September 1944 she was parachuted into Holland with her agent, who was under orders to take photographs of strategic importance and send them back to England using Scotch Lass. The agent completed the task and attached the film to the pigeon and let her go in the cover of darkness. However, she crashed into some overhead telegraph wires and injured herself badly. The agent rushed to her aid, but she took flight and he lost sight of her flying haphazardly.
Despite the injuries, she managed to complete her mission of 260 miles, much over water, and arrived at her loft at Felixstowe the same day. For this, she was awarded the Dickin Medal on 31st July 1945.
DM CITATION:
For bringing 38 microphotographs across the North Sea in good time although injured, while serving with the RAF in Holland in September 1944.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.