Antiques Roadshow guests couldn't quite believe it when their grandad's war medal, awarded to his beloved pigeon Mary, was valued. The episode, which airs on Sunday, August 25, saw the experts set up shop at Pitzhanger Manor And Gallery in Ealing. Expert Mark Smith encountered a couple eager to present their Dickin Medal.
Recognising its significance, he told them: "So when you came to my table this morning, you opened the bag and told me what was inside and I said 'No stop, we're going to try and film this one because it is so fantastic", he revealed. "And here we are. The Dickin medal from the People's Dispensary For Sick Animals (PDSA).
" He then asked about the recipient of the medal, a pigeon named Mary. One guest explained: "Well originally she was a racing pigeon along with the other pigeons from grandad's loft. She was put into the pigeon service, airlifted and dropped behind enemy lines in France.
" Smith responded: "These pigeons were dropped into France for the French Resistance to send back messages to the UK about secret things they'd found out to stop the Germans. That, therefore, makes her the James Bond of the pigeon world .".
This comparison had both the guests and audience laughing, with one owner chuckling: "I hadn't thought of her like that!". The guest examined the various bottles that would be attached to the pigeons for message delivery, as well as the miniature first aid kits that often accompanied them. He detailed how Mary was frequently dispatched to .