Racing Pigeon Pictorial International – June 2018

occasions and on each visit as I
stood outside the hallowed
address the hairs on my neck
would stand on end to think that
here was the home of the most
famous and historic strain of
racing pigeons, the Janssens. One
of, if not the biggest thrill ever
was to be beckoned into the yard
belonging to the brothers by the
last surviving brother Louis who
let us look around and he signed
my copy of the famous Janssen
Brothers book that was written
by Ad Scharlaeckens and allowed
us to take a couple of
photographs with this icon of the
pigeon sport. Whilst viewing this
reconstituted room at the
Scheemaeckers breeding station
brought all of these memories
come flooding back. It is
assembled exactly as it was at the
brothers house right down to
Adriaan’s cap which is perched on

the back of the old well-worn and
world famed settee where so
many visiting fanciers had their
photograph taken with the
brothers.

There is also a photo and the
story along with a medal in
memory of the heroic American
wartime pigeon ‘GI Joe’ who
saved hundreds of British Troops

lives when his 60mph dash

averted the Italian town of Colvi

Veccia being blown to bits by the

US Airforce along with the Allies

soldiers who had just driven the

Germans out of the town. In

appreciation ‘GI Joe’ was

awarded the Dicken Medal by

the British which is the highest

honour that can be bestowed on

an animal. It really is a humbling

experience to read about the

many successful missions that our

pigeons achieved during the wars

and there are mini parachutes

that were dropped behind enemy

lines containing pigeons so that

the people in the occupied

countries could take the risky

decision to inform the allies

about where the German forces

Inside the Janssen Brothers front room at the museum. Note

Adrianus's cap on the back of the chair.

A montage of the Janssen Brothers and some of their famous

pigeons.

A mini parachute which was

used to drop pigeons behind

enemy lines.