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The wairarapa
The luxury steamship (wairarapa) set off for a five day trip to auckland and hit the rocks on the Great Barrier Island and sunk with 250 passengers and crew on board. -
Period: to
Pigeon post
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First pigeon message
The pigeon Ariel carried the first pigeon message from the Great Barrier Island to Auckland.
Walter Fricker (a man who kept pigeons in Auckland) sent Ariel to Auckland because he thought pigeons would be a faster way of sending mail. -
Pigeon mail service started
In 1897 the first regular pigeon mail service started.
They kept pigeon in lofts (as seen on the left) where you could only come in a one way door and the people owning it would let them out another door when they are going to send a message.
Pigeons had straps on their backs to hold the letter in a little cylinder. -
Pigeon mail service ended
This ended when a telegraph link was opened from the great barrier island to auckland.
This was more efficent. -
Period: to
Cross war
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Pigeon carrier
Pigeon were carried in steel boxes that soldiers could carry.
Pigeons were a very important part of communication if you didn't have a telephone or radio. -
Cher ami died (a pigeon)
The pigeon saved 194 lives fighting through gas and gunfire all the to the french HQ (headquaters) showing where they could find the french soldiers.
This also helped them win the 'Croix De Guerre' AKA ( also known as) the cross war.
It was a very sad time for french soldiers.
This was a famous pigeon post.