I was under the impression that homing pigeons were widely used in WWII because radios were so unreliable and downed aircraft rarely had a radio post-crash.
Why were none involved in Market Garden? They possibly could have succeeded had they used them. The radio failure seemed like a major contributor to the defeat.
Anyone know why, or if they did use them but it isn't talked about in this film or any documentary I have seen, or any literature?
If they had carried homing pigeons, they would not have succeeded in a short engagement as the attack was to have lasted. The pigeons would not have flown from 1st Para HQ to the bridge. They would have flown back to Great Britain. The same from the Arnhem bridge. They would not have flown to Division HQ but to Great Britain.
From there the communication from I Airborne Corps (Lieut Gen Browning) back to 1st Airborne (Maj Gen Urquhart) would have to be by radio, not by pigeons. And remember that Gen Browning moved his HQ to the battle area, I think it was to Nijmegen, as of the first or second day of the attack. Extending the communication chain very, very long. The pigeons would not have reached Browning.