Animal Crackers Gallery

Royal Blue the Kings racing pigeon and first carrier of the war

"Royal Blue" the King's racing pigeon and first carrier of the war carried a message from a force landed plane on hte Continent has been invested with the animals VC The Dickin Medal. In October 1940 this bird was released in Holland approximately 120 miles from base at 7.20am and arrived at Sandringham at 11.50am the same day with information regarding the sitution of the crew. Corporal A Randall RAF with the King's pigeon after it had been invested with the medal in London
12th April 1945

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Cock that charmed a butcher , is the enemy of all dogs

Cock that charmed a butcher , is the enemy of all dogs ! . Billy , cock whose charming ways appealed so much to F E Durrant , a butcher of Criclewood , London , that is now a treasured pet , has become the closest friend of the cat next door , but he hates dogs ! .
His antipathy to all dogs is so intense that no dog can pass him when he is in the shop .
Billy has one weakness , vanity . He admires himself in mirrors and watches himself performing a solemn little dance he has invented .
Phot shows , Billy ignores the coaxing of Mr F E Darrant and refuses to let Judy a collie , enter the shop .
13 March 1936

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This morning workmen on a building site in Lincolns Inn Fields, London, were joined by a new mate

This morning workmen on a building site in Lincolns Inn Fields, London, were joined by a new mate. He was Maxie the chimp who will perform before the Queen at a special performance of the Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia on December 21st.
Photo shows MAXIE using the trowel with some skill, putting the cement onto a brick, prior to laying it on the building site in Lincolns Inn Fields, London.
November 14th 1960

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