Century-Old World War I Carrier Pigeon Message Unearthed in French Field Reveals Shocking Secret
Photo12/UIG/Getty ImagesA photograph from the Battle of the Somme, colorized by Matt Loughrey.
The message was written by a former Soviet sea captain named Anatoly Botsanenko who was aboard the Soviet vessel Sulak. But unlike the letter found in Orbey, Botsanenko’s letter wasn’t about the conflicts he had been involved in at sea. Instead, it was a sentimental call for health and happiness addressed to the stranger that would come across his bottled message:
“Sincere greetings! From the Russian Far East Fleet mother ship VRXF Sulak. I greet you who finds this bottle and request that you respond to the address Vladivostok -43 BRXF Sulak to the whole crew. We wish you good health and long years of life and happy sailing.”
The discovery of the letter went viral and led to a search for the author of the note who many believed was still alive. State-owned TV station Russia-1 successfully tracked down the former sea captain; he was 86 years old at the time of his letter’s discovery.
During an interview with Botsanenko about his letter, the Soviet veteran spoke about his military service. At one point, when the interviewer informed Botsanenko that his old ship had been put out of commission and sold for scraps in the 1990s, the former Navy man was overcome by emotion.
Letters from the war are among the most intriguing relics of the past that historians can come across. Whether containing top-secret intelligence or personal correspondence, these letters provide an intimate look at some of the most extreme events that have occurred in history.
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