D-Day 80th anniversary: how Carnlough's 'Paddy the Pigeon' helped the Allied war effort in Normandy

Paddy the pigeon's trainer, John McMullan, at his home in Carnlough, Co Antrim in 2009 aged 88. Photo: Paul Faith/PA

​’Paddy’ from Carnlough was awarded the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross – the Dickin Medal – in recognition of being the first pigeon to reach an RAF base in England with a vital update on the Normandy landings and subsequent advance.

Paddy the Pigeon was born and trained in Carnlough by John McMullan before being loaned to the RAF during the war.

Assured of its place in the history books, Paddy survived the war and lived out the remainder of his life in the coastal village after being demobbed.

At 9.15am on Thursday – the 80th anniversary of D-Day 1944 – community representatives and local school children will gather at Carnlough Harbour where a plaque was erected in Paddy’s honour.

The Larne and District HIstorical Society plaque contains details of Paddy’s impressive war record.

It also states that he was released by US troops in Normandy on June 12 – six days into the unprecedented military operation – and safely crossed the channel carrying the vital information.

"He returned to his loft in Hampshire in just four hours and 50 minutes, the fastest time recorded by a message-carrying pigeon during the Normandy landings,” the plaque recalls.

When the war ended the following year, Paddy was returned to his owner in Carnlough (Andrew Hughes JP), where he died in 1954 aged eleven.

The bronze Dickin Medal is awarded by the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA).

Following a previous commemoration, PDSA spokesman James Puxty said: "Paddy's contribution to the D-Day operations was a credit to the thousands of messenger pigeons donated by the racing pigeon fraternity for service during World War II.

"He was one of 32 brave, feathered heroes that received the PDSA Dickin Medal for their life-saving flights during the war, and the only recipient from Northern Ireland."