WW2 Carrier Pigeon and Undecoded Message Found In Chimney 287
BigBadBus writes "The BBC is reporting that the remains of a World War 2 carrier pigeon were found during renovation of a chimney in England. What is interesting is that the pigeon's remains still had its message attached to the leg ring; even more interesting, this is the first recorded instance of a code being used rather than plain text. The successor to WW2 code-breaking HQ Bletchley Park, the GCHQ, is trying to decipher this unique code. Maybe a Slashdot reader can beat them to it?"
I got it! (Score:5, Funny)
It says, "Dresden agrees to surrender, no need to firebomb, Feb. 12, 1945"
Re:I got it! (Score:5, Funny)
"drink more ovaltine"
doh! I knew it. just knew it.
Re:I got it! (Score:5, Funny)
Actually, it's a bit longer, and translates to:
Don't look like Neanderthals
Living in a cave
Stay clean and ready with
Burma Shave
Re:I got it! (Score:4, Informative)
"drink more ovaltine"
doh! I knew it. just knew it.
That's great. I'm over 70 and I do indeed remember my Ovaltine decoders. I bet a very large percentage of the people here on /. have no clue what your post was about. Thank you sir, for reminding me of some good childhood memories.
Re: (Score:3)
Due to "A Christmas Story" being rather inoffensive, it is played during the holidays with almost as much frequency as "It's a Wonderful Life" once was... Ovaltine decoder rings played a major role in the story, and more people are likely familar with them from the movie, than from first hand experience. And I explect a large percentage of /.ers have seen the film at least once.
Re:I got it! (Score:5, Funny)
One more good reason not to stop for a smoke, eh?
Re: (Score:3)
Nope, it's a list of future MS Products keys. Office 2020 and Windows 13 included. Those are Volume License keys, which makes them even more valuable.
I now propose the nice elderly couple who found the message to be interrogated and summarily fined+jailed for Software Piracy. Think of the children!
Re:I got it! (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Wrong bomb. Fission, not fusion. They're called "A-bombs."
Undecoded? (Score:5, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
I suppose if it were plain text, then it could be undecoded without being encoded.
Re: (Score:3)
Plain text is still encoded. Your decoding training was called "learning to read."
Re: (Score:3)
Re:Undecoded? (Score:5, Funny)
I prefer the doubly redundant not not undecoded. Oh well, back to my technical writing job.
Re:Undecoded? (Score:5, Insightful)
If a message is "encoded" it doesn't imply one way or another whether it had been decoded at some point. Just because the message is "encoded" doesn't mean it hasn't been decoded; decoding a message doesn't change the state of the original message as it's still encoded.
Undecoded is more precise.
Re:Undecoded? (Score:5, Informative)
No, "undeciphered" is more precise. Because that covers the fact that it might not be encoded but the meaning if the message has not yet been interpreted.
Re: (Score:2)
If you're going to pick that kind of nit, then it was encrypted.
Re:Undecoded? (Score:5, Funny)
If you're going to pick that kind of nit, then it was encrypted.
read the article: the bird died in the chimney, there was no crypt involved.
Re: (Score:3)
+1 Insightful.
Re:Undecoded? (Score:5, Informative)
The pigeon was hidden in the chimney (for 70 years!). "Crypt" is Greek for hiding place. Stupid kids with no education!
Translation (Score:5, Funny)
It says, "All Germany's base are belong to us"
Re:Translation (Score:5, Funny)
Got it too: (Score:2, Funny)
Eat me with a peeper sauce and a good wine.
Re: (Score:2)
Is peeper sauce made with peeps?
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Undecoded (Score:3, Insightful)
WW2 Carrier Pigeon and Undecoded Message Found In Chimney
I guess that's code for coded.
Re:Undecoded (Score:5, Insightful)
No, it's natural language's wonderfully concise way of expressing "coded, but subject to ongoing attempts at decoding it" so that everybody who occasionally talks to people instead of machines immediately understands it.
Re: (Score:3)
It will still be encrypted after we have figured out what the plain text is. It will no longer be undecoded, though.
No, no, you misread it means undie-coded. (Score:2, Funny)
The message was hidden within the lace of avian lingerie.
Serialz.pigeon.com (Score:4, Funny)
Obviously they were just sending serial numbers to aid in pirating punch card software.
Packet loss (Score:2, Funny)
They had huge latency and packet loss back then, didn't they?
recovering an RFC 1149 "lost packet"??? (Score:4)
i wonder how the bird got in the chimney in the first place
Re: (Score:2)
This is a very good question.
Re:recovering an RFC 1149 "lost packet"??? (Score:5, Informative)
England, as you may be aware, is often cold. A bird could easily decide to perch next to a chimney to keep warm. It then passes out from carbon monoxide inhalation, and topples into the chimney, where it becomes lodged.
Re: (Score:2)
England, as you may be aware, is often cold. A bird could easily decide to perch next to a chimney to keep warm. It then passes out from carbon monoxide inhalation, and topples into the chimney, where it becomes lodged.
But then the fireplace was never used again . . . which is odd . . .
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Fireplace may well have been used, without anyone realising a dead bird was being smoked in the chimney.
Re: (Score:3)
And yes, a cold bird resting in the warm flue gasses would rapidly be paralised by carbon monoxide poisoning, and fall down the chimney.
It is also highly likely that the chimney would have fallen into disuse shortly afterwards - perhaps due to fuel shortage, and then, shortly after the war, buring coal in open fires was banned, so it was never used again.
Re:recovering an RFC 1149 "lost packet"??? (Score:5, Funny)
i wonder how the bird got in the chimney in the first place
It walked there.
Re:recovering an RFC 1149 "lost packet"??? (Score:5, Funny)
Clearly it was an open access point (Score:2)
Re:recovering an RFC 1149 "lost packet"??? (Score:5, Funny)
It flue in
How it got there (Score:4, Funny)
It entered the chimney because it was pining for the fjords.
It's not pinin,' it's passed on! This pigeon is no more! It has ceased to be! It's expired and gone to meet its maker! This is a late pigeon! It's a stiff! Bereft of life, it rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed him to the perch he would be pushing up the daisies! Its metabolical processes are of interest only to historians! It's hopped the twig! It's shuffled off this mortal coil! It's run down the curtain and joined the choir invisible! This.... is an EX-PIGEON!
Re: (Score:2)
One for the Brits (Score:5, Funny)
Don't know why, but It's some sort of German (Score:5, Funny)
"Wenn ist das Nunstuck git und Slotermeyer? Ja! Beiherhund das Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput!"
Re: (Score:2)
Ich bin ein Holzfller und fhl mich stark
Ich schlaf des Nachts und hack am Tag
Er ist ein Holzfller und fhlt sich stark
Er schlaft des Nachts und hackt am Tag
Ich flle Bume, ich ess mein Brot
Ich geh auf das WC
Am Mittwoch geh ich shopping
Kau kekse zum kaffee
Er fllt die Bume er isst sein Brot
Er geht auf das WC
Am Mittwoch geht er shopping
Kaut kekse zum kaffeev
Er ist ein Holzfller und fhlt sich stark
Er schlaft des Nachts und hackt am Tag
Ich flle Bume und hupf und spring
Steck Blumen in die Vas
Ich schlupf in Fraukenl
Re: (Score:3)
Does Slashdot need to allow the "Funny" score of a post to go up to "6" for "Fatally Funny" and require a release form to be signed if you want to browse at a level that allows you to see posts with a rating of 6?
I Figured It Out! (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
And everybody else figured out that you don't read the other comments or you would have seen that a bunch of people made the same joke already. You must be one of those write-only readers.
What are the lapel pins? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Looks like a red flower, maybe a poppy. Is it some local or national thing? Can any slashdotter not working on decoding enlighten, please?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_poppy [wikipedia.org]
Re: (Score:2)
Annual thing : http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/support-us/ [britishlegion.org.uk]
The date is the anniversary of Armistice Day: 11/11
Enough with the 11s (Score:3)
11 is getting crowded with 11/11, 9/11 and 7/11. I suggest that the next important event or big convenience store chain use another common denominator.
Re: (Score:3)
yes, we will be sure the next big event doesn't happen in 2011.
Re:What are the lapel pins? (Score:5, Interesting)
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
-- John McCrae
Re: (Score:2)
Re:What are the lapel pins? (Score:4, Insightful)
Poignant as the words are, recently (last 10 years or so?) someone scored them to music for Remembrance Day ceremonies. Let me tell you, listening to these words from the dead, sung by school-age children, is one of the most powerful and haunting things you can hear.
Re: (Score:3)
You would have preferred that no one oppose Germany's plans of occupying Europe?
"In Flanders Fields" was written during the Great War, not World War II.
If it was encoded with a one-time pad... (Score:2)
Encoded string (Score:5, Informative)
A(C)AKN HVPKD (F)NFJU YIDD(C/L)
RQX(Q)R DJHFP (E/F)OVFN MIAPX
PABUZ WYYNP C(M)PNW HJR(C)H
NLXKE MEMEK ON(O)(I/L)B AREE(G)?
UAOTA RBQRH DJOFM TPZEH
LKX(E/P)H R(E/F)(E/F)HT JRZCQ FNKTQ
KLDTS (E/F)QIRU AOAKN (2)7 1525/6
NURP 40 TW 194
NURP 37 DK (7/1)6
But ofcourse... (Score:2)
http://m.fark.com/comments/7412776/British-get-coded-message-by-carrier-pigeon-from-agent-in-Nazi-Germany-This-is-not-a-repeat-from-1940 [fark.com]
And some more newsitems (not video): http://swns.com/news/wwii-carrier-pigeon-secret-code-defeating-nazis-70-years-later-chimney-26984/ [swns.com]
Re: (Score:2)
Looks like a set of Windows 8 license keys. DMCA takedown in 3..2..1..
Re: (Score:2)
I get:
AOAKN HVPKD FNFJU YIDDC
RQXSR DJHFP EOVFN MIAPX
PABUZ WTYNP CMPNW HJR?H
NLXKE M?M?K ONOIB A???Q
UAOTA RBQRH DJOFM TPZLH
LKXEH REEHT JRZCQ FNKTQ
KLDTS EQIRU AOAKN
The F's are quite square, but the E's are rouned.
note that it starts and ends with AOAKN to tell whoever is decoding it how to generate the key.
SOE used "Poem codes":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poem_code [wikipedia.org]
Re: (Score:2)
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It's more likely the code is British. It has "AOAKN" twice - once at the start and once at the end, and from the digraph frequency (below), "AO" "FN" and "AK" stand out. I think that rules out any Enigma-based codes (e.g. the British TypeX [cryptomuseum.com]), as well as the US SIGABA [cryptomuseum.com] - the AOAKN would not be repeated at the beginning and end. I hav
Re:Encoded string (Score:4, Informative)
And decryption efforts are being coordinated here: http://en.reddit.com/r/cryptography/comments/12jipi/ww2_pigeon_carried_an_encrypted_text_here_it_is/ [reddit.com].
(Thanks, by the way, for the info about all WWII German spies in the UK.)
Blackadder (Score:3)
George: "It's a bit charred. Something something at once..PS, due to communication crisis, the shooting of carrier pigeons is now a court-martial offence. I don't see what's so funny about that, sir."
Really? (Score:5, Funny)
I've boiled down the 32 comments (so far) to 2:
"Drink more ovaltine! (ha ha)" and the like
Undecoded = unnecessary double negative.
Glad to save you some time, Dear Reader.
Re: (Score:2)
And no comments on the ridiculousness of "this is the first recorded instance of a code being used rather than plain text."
The use of coded messages goes back thousands of years. I doubt the first recorded instance would be found on a pigeon from WWII.
Original code (Score:5, Informative)
RQXSR DJHFP GoVFN MIAPX
PABUZ WYYNP CMPNW HJRZH
NLXKG MENEK ONOIB AREEQ
UAOTA RBQRH DJoFM TPZEH
LKXGH RGGHT JRZCQ FNKTQ
KLDTS GQIRU AOAKN 27 1525/6
NURP 40 TW 194
NURP 37 DK 76
lib 1025
Re:Original code (Score:4, Funny)
Re: (Score:3)
Does it have \r\n or just \n?
NURP (Score:4, Informative)
FWIW, the NURP... at the end of the message simply identifies the carrier pigeons (NURP stands for National Union of Racing Pigeons).
This probably has nothing to do with the message.
The 40 and 37 indicate the year of registration and TW194 and DK76 are the "serial numbers" of the pigeon.
Britain's "Animals In War Memorial" (Score:5, Interesting)
http://www.animalsinwar.org.uk/ [animalsinwar.org.uk]
"This monument is dedicated to all the animals
that served and died alongside British and allied forces
in wars and campaigns throughout time"
The second, smaller inscription simply reads:
"They had no choice"
.
Re:Britain's "Animals In War Memorial" (Score:5, Insightful)
Huh (Score:3, Insightful)
Unbelievable. They were still using carrier pigeons in WW II? Despite the invention of radio?
My first thought was that this they got the war wrong or that it was some hobbyist playing at secret messages. But no, they did use pigeons in WW II. The Army Pigeon Service [wikipedia.org] was only disbanded in 1957!
It's weird how military people refuse to give up their favorite toys. As early as the Civil War, the smarter generals were pointing out the stupidity of charging cavalry against modern rifled weapons. And yet the last cavelry charge occurred 80 years later!
Re: (Score:2)
As early as the Civil War, the smarter generals were pointing out the stupidity of charging cavalry against modern rifled weapons. And yet the last cavelry charge occurred 80 years later!
Are you suggesting that the pigeon was downed by the German anti-pigeon artillery?
Re: (Score:2)
More likely it was AWOL and got mugged.
Re: (Score:2)
I assume that although they did have radio that they may have been worried about the Germans listening in? Also, Carrier Pigeons likely had a longer range than radio.
Re: (Score:2)
The security issues with radio also apply to RFC1149 media. Hence the encryption.
A WW II field radio can reach 75 to 800 miles, depending on conditions. A pigeon can fly 500 miles in a day, but weigh that against vulnerability to snipers, wires, and raptors.
Re:Huh (Score:5, Informative)
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Right, an army full of riflemen has no way of shooting down pigeons.
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An army full of rifleman still can't shoot at every passing bird and has no way of knowing which bird is a carrier pigeon.
Exactly, some of them could have been battleship pigeons.
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Re:Huh (Score:5, Insightful)
They were still using carrier pigeons in WW II? Despite the invention of radio?
The trouble with radio is that everyone else hears it too. Carrier pigeons, assuming they get through, can carry a message from the front lines to the rear without it being intercepted as easily.
And yet the last cavalry charge occurred 80 years later!
Actually, the WWII cavalry charges were done because they sometimes worked: For example, an infamous Polish cavalry charge early on in the war was successful in halting the advance of an infantry force - the trouble was that then some tanks showed up and the cavalry had to retreat (this later got propagandized as Poles charging tanks with lances, but that never happened). Later on, an Italian cavalry unit was surrounded by Marshal Tito's forces in the Balkans, and managed to escape by charging them with sabres drawn. And yes, the Germans used cavalry too, mostly on the Eastern Front.
In short, the generals aren't as stupid as you think.
Quadruple ROT-13'd For Extra Security (Score:2)
Now that's what I'm talkin' about!
hyperspace express way notice (Score:5, Funny)
Actually, it says:
Notice of intent to build a hyperspace express route is hereby given to the peoples of earth.
Plans and demolition orders may be viewed at your local planning office in Alpha Centauri.
Thank you,
Galactic Hyperspace Planning Council
there's a PS, there, too (Score:2)
did you guys catch it?
decoded it says:
"PS: if you didn't get this message, let us know and we'll send it again"
(you know, I bet the sender had one of those fake paint-on moustaches.)
I know why this happened... (Score:2)
Santa stepped on the pigeon by accident, killed it dead....
Don't decode it! (Score:4, Funny)
Don't decode it! It's a copy of the funniest joke in the world! It's in coded form so that it won't hurt anyone!
RFC 1149 : TCP over Carrier Pigeon (Score:4, Funny)
.
If people only used standards, then even multi-decades old avian-datagrams could route around the blockage of chimneys and continue onward! ;>)
.
The RFC even discusses encryption and tactical issues: ``Security Considerations Security is not generally a problem in normal operation, but special measures must be taken (such as data encryption) when avian carriers are used in a tactical environment.'' This BBN place sounds like a fun place to work if they've got this much time on their hands!
Decoded (Score:2)
Pigeon was found in August... (Score:2)
Better article here: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/340486/Coo-blimey-Riddle-of-Percy-the-pigeon-and-a-wartime-mission [express.co.uk]
Deciphered: (Score:2)
"Please save my friend, Big Bird, from the flippy guy who looks like a game-show host!"
The life that I have / Is all that I have (Score:2)
The life that I have
Is all that I have
And the life that I have
Is yours.
The love that I have
Of the life that I have
Is yours and yours and yours.
A sleep I shall have
A rest I shall have
Yet death will be but a pause.
It says: (Score:4, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)