By Eleanor Steafel A carrier pigeon that delivered the crucial first SOS message which relayed the news that the British forces at the Battle of Arnhem were in trouble is to be honoured at an exhibition next week. Three days into the daring battle which, if it had succeeded, would have brought World War Two to an end by Christmas 1944, the desperate troops sent the carrier pigeon named William of Orange back home as a last-ditch attempt to make contact after their radios failed. An exhibition on January 18-19 in Blackpool will celebrate all 32 carrier pigeons that won the prestigious Dickin Medal - the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross.
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Carrier pigeon won the Dickin Medal for his efforts in World War Two
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Delivered message the Allies were in trouble on the Dutch/German border
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Exhibition to honour carrier pigeons in Blackpool next week
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British lost 1,984 troops at the Battle of Arnhem and 6,854 were captured
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WWII would have been over by Christmas 1944 if the Allies had succeeded
They were surrounded by @placeholder troops and were eventually forced to fight their way out.