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

© TopFoto.co.uk

Soldier and penguin on a beach in the Falkland Islands in 1983

Soldier and penguin on a beach in the Falkland Islands in 1983 - this 1980s image of a young military man armed after the Falklands Conflict is famous and award winning for the photographer, Roger Bamber. On patrol with British Armed Forces on West Falklands Island. This is Private Jack Frost (yes, that really was his name, poor kid, which is why he was selected for Penguin Patrol on the day) who was serving in the Falklands a year after the conflict, in August 1983. The cunning plan was to have him posing amongst a sea of Gentoo Penguins. Two sweaty hours later we had managed to round up precisely one baffled bird. Penguins run faster than you'd think.

© Roger Bamber / TopFoto

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

© TopFoto.co.uk