The Secret Wireless War: The story of MI6 Communications, 1939–1945

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THE SECRET WIRELESS WAR

The Secrec Wireless War© Copyrighc 2008 by Geoffrey Pidgeon All righcs reserved. No parr of this work may be reproduced or srored in an information rerrieval sysrem (orher rhan for purposes of review) wirhouc prior wriccen permission by the copyrighc holder.

A catalogue record of chis book is available from che Bricish Library Paperback Edicion: Augusc 2008 ISBN: 978-09560515-2-3 To o rder addicionaJ copies of chis book please visir: hrcp://V\'\'VW.geoffreypidgeon.com Published by: Arw1del Books 3 Arundel House, Courclands, Sheen Road, Riclunond. T\'V'l 0 5AS Email: info@geof&eypidgeon.com Designm by:PrestigePress Web: lmp://www.prescige-press.com

The Secret Wireless War

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by

Geoffrey Pidgeon

Arundel Books

Dedication I dedicate chis book to the many frne men and women who worked in MI6 (Secrion VUI) and irs Special Communicarion Units during World War II, under their founder Brigadier Sir Richard Gambier-Parry, KCMG, Head of SIS Communications (MI6 Section VIII) - from 1938 to 1946.

Brigadier Sir Richard Gambier-Pan)' KCMG

I should also like to express my deep appreciation here to my wife, Jane, who has been so pacienc and supporcive in my work on rhis book as in every orher sphere of life in our many years rogether.

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Contents Dedicarion ............... .. .......... . . .... .... ..... ........... . . ..... ... . v Contents ...... . ...... ... . . ........... . ... . ............. ... .. .... .... .. . . vii Preface .. ..... . . . ..... . . ........... ..... . . ...... . ............... ..... . ... ix Acknowledgements & Bibliography ...... . .. .. ... ............ . .. . .... . . .. . .. . . .. xv Prologue .... . ........ .. .. .. ............ ... ... ... . .. . ............. .. .. . . . xxi Glossary . .. . . .. ....... . . .... . .. .... . . ... . ..... .. ... . . . . ....... . . . . ...... xxv En igma - A brief Outline . ... . .............. ....... . . ... .. ....... .... ... . . .. xx.xi

Part I The Background Chapter 1: The Hisrorical Background ro SIS ................................ . .. ... 3 Chapter 2: Pre-war Communications, Passport Officers, Broadway .................... .. 10 Chapter 3: Enter - Richard Gambier-Parry .. .. ..... . ...... ... . ................... 14 Chapter 4: T he Early Days - Barnes Station X and Funny Neuk....... ... . . . ....... .. .. 19 Chapter 5: T he Cast Assembles .. ...... . ... ............... ... . ...... . .. .... .. .. 28

Part II War Comes to Whaddon Village Chapter 6: Whaddon Village . . . ... . . . ... . .. .. .. .. ..... .... . ...... . ...... .. . . . . 39 Chapter 7: Whaddon Hall - the House on the Hill ...... . ...... . .... .... .. . . . ... ... 41 Chapter 8: Blecchley Park - Admiral Sinclair's 'War Starion' .. ..... .. ... . ... .... . . ... .. 44 Chapter 9: Special Comm unication Units . . . .. . .. ................... .. ......... . . 55 Chapter I0: SCU/SLUs - che Mobile Voice of Ultra .................. ... . . ...... ... 67 Chapter l I: Whaddon Hall - ics Layout and T he Chase ................ .. ... .... . ... 71 Chapter 12: Wireless Scations at Windy Ridge, Main Line, Nash, Weald and Forfar ...... . .. 78 Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter

13: Whaddon's Mulciple Roles . . . ... ... ...... . ....................... . . . 84 14: Clandestine Wireless and Agencs' Secs . ..................... . ....... .. .. 86 15: Box 25, the RSS and Hanslope.... .. ..................... . ... ........ 98 16: A Sea of Aerials!... .. ... .... ................. ................. ... 114 17: The Packards of Whaddon ... ... . . ............. ..... . ......... ... . . 117 18: Black Propaganda . .. ... .... ... . ........... .................. . . .. 123 19: Mobile Co nscruccion . ........... ....... .. ..... ...... . .. ..... ... .. 143

Chapter 20: Stable Gossip ..... .. .... ........... .. .... ...... . . . ... . ..... . . .. . 149

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Part III Their story: by some of those involved in the Secret Wireless War 1939-1945 Chapter 21: The Exrraordinary Diary of John Darwin ..... .... ............... . ..... 161 Chapter 22: Bob Hornby - Our Outstanding Wireless Engineer. ...................... 173 C hapter 23: Arthur 'Spuggy' Newton ....... ..... .. ............ ........ ... ..... 179 Chapter 24: Joyce Lilburn and rhe Remru-kable Hill Fami ly .......................... 191 Chaprer 25: Wilf Neal in SCU8 - wirh Patron's Third Army .......... ... ........... . 197 Chapter 26: Marrin Shaw's Story: Ashbys; Gees, and Rockex at Hanslope ................ 211 Chapter 27: Lawson Mann - one of the Fifry Despatch Riders at SCU l ................. 224 Chapter 28: Bill Miller - Tea with the Germans . ......... .... . .................... 227 Chapter 29: Phillip Luck, Operating with Black Propaganda ......................... 248 Chapter 30: Tom Kennerley, Training Agents in China .................... ..... . . ... 256 Chapter 31: Edgar Harrison, Wireless Operator ro Winston Churchill ... ..... ....... . .. 260 Chapter 32: Steve Dorman: the V2 and Ascension ........ ......................... 269 Chapter 33: Jack Wh itley's Story- Handling O ur Agents' Traffic .......... ... ........ . 283 Chapter 34: Pat Hawker - His Many Roles in the Secrer Wireless War . ................. 288 Chapter 35: Bob King, a VI and Member of RSS .... .. ....... . .. . . . ............... 301 Chapter 36: 'My God They're Shooting ar us' - and Other Srories .... ..... .... ..... ... 304 Chapter 37: With Rommel, the Other Side of Enigma - by Siegfried Maruhn ... ...... ... 316 Chapter 38: Geoffrey Pidgeon - H is Own Story .... .. ....... . ...... .. ........ .... 320 Appendix l: Station Code Numbers .... . .... ..... .. ...... .... ..... ... . ... ..... 347 Appendix 2: Station X ... ...... .. ... .... .. ... ........................... . .. 349 Appendix 3: Vls Wireless interception and Organisation . ...... .. ................... 352 Appendix 4: Bill Miller's Personal Code ..... .......... ......................... 354 Appendix 5: Call Signs from Peking in rhe 1930s ............ .. ....... .. ....... ... 357 Appendix 6: Agencs' Sers . .. . . ...... . ..... . .. ........... ........... .. ....... 359 Appendix 7: Letter to my Father. ... .. ... .. . ... ... . ...... .... ................. 365 Appendix 8: My Morher at Blerchley Park .... ... ..... ..... ....... . ..... . ..... . . 366 T he Epi logue .. . .. ..... . . . ... . . . .... ..... . .. . ..... . ................ .. . . . . 369 INDEX .......... .... ............ . ... . ........ .... .... .... .... ...... .. . 373

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Preface

In the years following World War II, with a growing family and a business to run, I did not spend much time thinking abour my warcime experiences. Then, in 1995, as part of the fiftieth anniversary celebrations to mark the end of the war in Europe, a n umber of newspapers suggested that readers write to the editor with their story of VE N ight, 1945. I did not write to a newspaper; insread 1 w rote to che owner of the Cock Hotel in Stony Stratford (now pan of Milton Keynes), where I had lived and worked during the war. I u ied to put down in writing for him how we had so ve1y energetica.lly celebrated VE n ight in the hotel with the owners of the nme. This effort awakened my interest in rhe imporcant part played during the War by three local srarely homes Bletchley Park, Hanslope Park and Whaddon Hall - which fo rmed the angles of a triangle covering North Buckingh amsb ire. Towards the end of 1996, my wife Jane and I visited Bletchley Park where my mother had worked as a Red Cross nurse in rhe clinic. This was one of Bletchley Park's then formighdy ' Open Days' and I found the whole place quite fascinating. A room in one of rhe brick buildings was described as 'The DWS Room' which was mainly devoted to wireless equipme11t used during the War, including sets used by our agents abroad. It also told the story of the wireless side of 'The Ultra Secret' which emanated from the brilliant code-breakers who worked in the neighbouring huts - many of them still to be seen in che grounds. While viewing the agenrs' secs on display, I noticed a mistake in one description and conunented on it to the Curator o f the DWS Room, David White. Naturally, he asked me how I knew about the mistake. I explained that 1 had helped to build the chassis for char particular model during che early production runs, both at Whaddon and in the lacer workshops scarred in 1943, at nearby Little Horwood. Mr. White was evidently delighted. He cold me I was the first person he had met who had actually worked inside the Whaddon Hall complex, and please would I write about it for him and provide a drawing of the layour. Some weeks lacer, I senr him a sketch from memory of che layouc of the original buildings and che new huts built in the grounds. I also gave him a description of some of the work that was done at Whaddon and the people involved in ic. From char small beginning, he urged and encouraged me to expand the record into a wider coverage of the role of the SCUs and their staff - and chat has slowly developed into this book. This is noc an attempt co sec down my personal role d uring the war, nor is it to boasc of my pare in chese greac events. I am hardly in a position to do chat since I was about the youngest (and most junior) of the staff, working inside che security zone of Whaddon Hall between 1942 and 1945. Being the youngesc ac the rime, also leaves me still the youngest of a sadly dwindling band of chose who worked at Whaddon during the war, or who worked for its units elsewhere. I know I owe a great debt co the many old colleagues whom I have since concacced, and to the additional information chat has come to light through chem. Therefore, chis book is actually a collective effort by wartime

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The Secret Wireless War

companions from the various Special Communication Units, formed by MI6 (Section VIII), under its head, Richard Gambier-Parry. I have rried ro be selective, in choosing from the mass of material that has been so generously made available to me. However, there may be an element of duplication in some of the stories as chey are about the same unit, but each will tell the story from a cLffere nt perspective. One or nvo of the chapters are semi-technical, while ochers deal with our operations abroad. Manin Shaw's srory is quite diffe rent from these, however, dealing with the minutiae of his life at Gees and H anslope. Ir is a fascinating insight into the military section of the unit char some - myself included - hardly knew existed. I am particularly grateful to David White who had to continuously prod and encourage me, until I final ly came to realise che importance of the Section VIII scory he so wanced me to write. I was convinced by David chat these stories simply had to be cold co record the great work done by a devoted bunch of highly motivated men, whose achievements and technical brilliance has largely gone unnoticed. The book is also very much about the people - just as much as about their work - or the operations involved. Another reason for putting all this 'on the record' is chat when I started, I discove red that there were already a number of books on the subject of Ulcra, Enigma, Bletchley Park, MI6, GCHQ, SOE, Stewart Menzies, a nd 'Y' stations. Unforrunately, very few me ntioned Whaddon Hall, and even those char did so, usually wrote as if it were a satellite of Bletchley Park, and not a key player in its own right. The book The U ltra Secret is a case in point. It was wrirren by Group Captain Fred. W Winterbotham who had been head of MJ6 Section IV (Air) during the War. H e seemed to break ranks with senior SIS officers in writing the book back in 1974, when Bletchley Park and the word ' Ultra' were still unknown to the public. He constantly refers co 'Special Liaison Units', in fact they appear in the index over thirty times. Yer although he takes a proprietary approach w the whole SLU network, not once does he mention chat the wireless lU1its were designed, built and run by MI6 (Section VIII). Furthermore, there is no mention of Brigadier GambierParry, of Whaddon, of Section VIII, or even of SCUs. Writing about che Special Liaison Unir scaff at the headquarters of the 9th US Tactical Air Force, he says '/

had put an American officer in charge of the SLU unit here, UJith the usual complement of RAF cypher mgeants and WIT personnel.' He omits to say chat the 'WIT personnel '. and all their equipment, were provided entirely by Gambier-Parry's SCU organisation. One of them was Bernard Gildersleve of SCU8, in our Dodge wireless vehicle, who was attached co the 9th. (See C hapter 36).

In 1978, Ronald Lewin wrote Ultra Goes co War, mentioning \X!haddon Hall and its transm1ss1on station 'Windy Ridge' for the first rime in print. Nigel West, in his excellent book Ml6, written in 1983, briefly mentions Section VIII, Gambier-Parry and ocher aspects of our work. Unforcunacely, my narrative has to include expressions such as ' I believe' or 'co the best of my knowledge'. Please forgive these caveats which are partially due to the passage of time but also to the obvious 'need-co-know' regime that existed in this most secret of wartime units. Obviously few phocographs were take n at die rime bur, with the aid of friends, we have found a small but interescing selection. Even this small number is surprising since we were so security-conscious. Today, after almost six[)' years, it is virrnally impossible co compile a derailed and accurate accoum of the work of Section VIII, and the situation is unlikely to change in future, even if more archival material from SIS finds its way to rhe Public Records Office. I am rold, with some authority, chat records of the wartime activities of

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Preface

Section VlII were pulped many years ago. Memories are fallible and, sadly, only a dwindling band of witnesses is left. I have been extremely lucky i11 having had unstinting help from a munber of colleagues from the wartime SCU organisation or their relatives. They are listed at the end of chis preface, but I would like to make special mention of a few who made an outstanding contribution. Edgar Harrison (see C hapter 31 - ' W ireless operator to Winston Churchill'), was one of the earliest members of the unit and continued in DWS after the War, becoming its Principal Signals Officer. His is a most aurhorirarive voice in recalling those days. Pat Hawker was enrolled as a VI (Voluntary Interceptor) in 1940, and then, from 1941, employed directly by M I6 Secrion VIII. He has been an absolute rower of strength throughout my research, and supplied me most generously with viral in formation on aspects of his work in the various SC U units to which he belonged. Pat has read. and commenced on a n umber of the chapters, and advised on ocher spheres of the Secret \X'ireless War, arising from his own technical knowledge and investigations. His own fascinating story, 'Par Hawker and his many roles in the Secrer W ireless War', is rold in C hapter 34. Norman Walton, who was in the unit from 194·0, continued patiently to ansvver my many questions until he sadly died in lace 200 I. I shall always cherish the memory of raking tea wirh N orman at the Different Drummer Hotel in Stony Stratford. T here, on several occasions, he gave me the benefit of his knowledge of the early history of the unit and its personnel. We also talked of colleagues and events, from our time together in 1945 at SCU 11/12 in Delhi and Calcutta. Ex-SCU and RSS members hold an annual meeting at Bletchley Park. The organiser is Bob King who was a VI, then a wartime member of RSS, and is now regarded as a leading authoriry on its work. He has made a valuable concribution to rhe book and most especially to Chapter 15. I could nor leave David White out of chis list. Whilst he is the mai1 who persuaded me to write this book in the first place, he did not then cast me adrift. David has been there ro help every cime I had a question, and all of us refer to him from time ro time on the hisroiy of the SCUs. He lived near Whaddon bur was too young robe in om wart.ime units, but he later joined Diplomatic Wireless Service which was form ed our of them. He is now the Curator of the \'V'ireless Museum at Blerchley Park. A visit there is a must for those interested in the work of the SCUs, and is an opportunity to see some of the equipment we used.

It really is invidious

select any more from those who have helped, and are listed at the foot of the Preface, but it would also be wrong not to men ti on Wilf Neal in this con text. H e has been a constant support in the enterprise and his srory is told in Chapter 25. to

John RiJey was one of the first ro come fof\lvard and sem me all his notes on his wartime work with the unit, which was mosdy at Hanslope. (See C hapter 36). Additionally, I have the great good fomme to be wricing this book, just as several previously unknown documents have come to light, w ri tren by some of the most senior men in Section VIII. Firstly, the reader will be astonished to learn that one of the 'founding fathers' of the new Section VIII was writing a personal diai·y of his travels and meetings throughout the months leading up to the War, until he lefr the unit in 1940. T hat man was John Darwin and his story is told in C hapter 21.

It was difficult to know where to start but I had found Steve Oorrnan's address and Jane and I went down co see him at his home at Looe in Cornwall. He had retired as head of the technical department of HMGCC

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The Secret W ireless War

based at Hanslope, after a lifetime in the service. Steve had joined the unit in 1942, around che same rime as I did, and although very much my senior, he was always friendly and helpful. When I mer him some fifty five years lacer, the clock was turned back and there he was, totally willing co help where he could. Sadly, Steve died a year or two lacer bur he had already given me some of his material, and we caped over two hours of our conversation rogecher. His scoty appears in Chapter 32. Shortly before his death in 1992, Le. Col. Bob Hornby, om most sen.ior wireless engineer, dictated some notes about his rime with the unit, co his daughter Anroinecte Messenger, and these are used in his story, in Chapter 22. Just before Christmas 2001, a detailed accounc of Major 'Spuggy' Newwn's service in Section VIII, wriccen by himself, was discovered by one of his sons in a box in his loft. It contains an amazing amount of material chat has never been seen before. Spuggy Newton's story is in Chapter 23. In his book Ultra goes to war, Ronald Lewin writes about Rommel's own secret traffic, sent by his No. 10 Signals Regiment at .Afrika Corps HQ in North Africa ro che German base in Rome, and then onward ro OKW, che German High Command in Berlin. My good fortun e continued when last year, I made contact with Siegfried Maruhn who was a member of char same signaJs unit handling Rommel's Enigma traffic, and his story is cold in Chapter 37. I have found great difficulty in deciding whether to refer co some aspects of our work as being 'Wireless' or 'Radio'. As a boy at home before the war, we had a wireless sec aJthough we looked up the program mes in Radio Times. The cerm ' rad io' was coming into common use at rhe outbreak of rhe War bur our rransm.irring srations ar W haddon were always known as ' Wireless sracions'. My facher ran the ' Wireless stores' ac Whaddon and we builr 'wireless' secs, nor 'radios', at \'V'haddon and Lierle Ho1wood. Many of my wartime colleagues regarded themselves at chat time as being 'Wireless operators' not 'Radio operators'. There was the imporcanc Radio Society of Grear Brita.in but, so fur as I recall , d1e only regular use of che word ' radio' in our units, was wirh RSS rhe 'Radio Security Service' - which becan1e absorbed inco SCU3. Even then, we only referred to it as 'RSS'. In an attempt to be consisrenr, I have used the word wireless wherever I can, and only radio when referring to RSS - for example. Some may quarrel with my decision, which was very finely balanced, bur chose who can casr their minds back co the late thirties, will perhaps sympathise wich my ultimate choice of word. Apart from a general clearance to speak about wartime Whaddon from the Ministry of Defence, my only djrecr approach co che 'powers-char-be' at I-lanslope for more information and their cooperation met with no response. However, I have to acknowledge che help of the Archives Section of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the research on Barnes. In my own srory (Chapter 38), I have talked in depth about my experiences with SCU up until 1945, and chen briefly about my final monchs wich the unit until I lefr in early 1947. AJI the ocher stories have ended in 1945, even chough a number of contributors continued to work for D WS or other pose-war parrs of our unit. O nly a few agents are mentioned by name, but after che passage of sixty years, their exploits should be of incerest only to the reader and historians. The wireless apparatus we used ac d1ac rime was probably closer to che 'car's whisker' wireless sets of rhe 1920s than co che sophisticated communications equipment now used by our secret services. Today, che transmission of intelligence around the world is based on computers and satellites and is a technology I can hardly comprehend. However, I hope that the modern generation will welcome a record of chis important, and largely successful pare of SIS communication history.

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Preface

Our Windy Ridge and Main Line scarions at \X!haddon handled some of the most important wireless traffic of World War II. I hope chis book will demonstrate che vital role played by Section Vlll, not only in the dissemination of the U ltra intelligence, but in ocher important work of che Secret Wireless War. T he omission or overlooking of ics role requires correction chat is long overdue; I cruse ic will be noced by hiscoria.ns who wiU be able co deal with the subject more fully than I have managed, especially if ocher records should become available. The files on my study shelves eventual ly measured 1900 mm across, and I have cwo fi ling cabinet drawers full as well - so there is a lot left fo r someone co work on if chey wish, even among my own papers. I appreciate chat che many secs of initials used in che book mighc be co nfusing. Because of their sheer munber and complexiry, I have included a decailed glossary here, instead of the more usual place at the back of the book. YolL wilJ fin d che book easier ro read if you first read the glossary and acquaint yourself with some of the terminology. Throughom the book, and especially in che personal recollections in Parr 3, I have left the various ranks as chey were ac che cime of the scory in question. For example, a person might appear as a Captain in one chapter and as a Major in another. I fel t it is unnecessary to use the formula , 'Captain (lacer Major)' etc. Some of the stories given to me were almost complete books in themselves, such as those by Bill Mi!Jer and Marcin Shaw, and che extensive work done by John Riley - amongst others. I have had co shorten them but with che permission of the authors, I hope eventually to deposit their papers at the Imperial War Museum, along with a copy of chis book. They already have a bound copy of my compilation of the remaining Stable Gossip - the house magazine of Whaddon Hall - on file (See Chapter 20).

To put the work of Section VIII during World Wa.r II into context> I have written a brief background to the development of the British secret services, leading up to 1939. For an overview of British espionage and counter-espionage, there are many excellent books on other aspects of the work of the SIS, some of which are listed in the acknowledgements. This book is written with a deep sense of my responsibility to the importance of the subject, to those fine men who are no longer with us> to my wart ime colleagues, and their direct kin and others who have so generously assisted me in my research. I list below those to whom I am so tremendously in debt. Geoffrey Pidgeon Richmond, Surrey June 2003 Pat Hawker I David White I Edgar Harrison I Bob King I Phil Luck I Wilf Neal I Martin Shaw I Steve and Tony Newton> sons of'Spuggy' Newton I Ben Hornby and Antoinette Messenger> son and daughter of Bob Hornby I Joyce Lilburn I Lawson Mann I Bill Miller I Maurice Richardson I Ken Rymer I Siegfried Maruhn I Dudley Bradford I Walter Dunkley I Dennis Herbert I Ted Cooper I cMac' McLean I Jack Whitley I John Lloyd I Tom Chandler I John Riley I Bert Fry I Ron Unwin I Griselda Brook, (nee Darwin) niece of John Darwin I Jimmy Gee I Max Houghting I Charles Tracey I Christopher Maltby, son of Ted Maltby I Irene Healey (nee West) I George Hainsworth I Hugh Humphreys I Alan Stuff I Stuart Hill /Evelyn Watts I Pamela Bedford (nee Tricker) I Bernard Gildersleve I Tessa Holden I Ray Small.

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Acknowledgements and Bibliography

I am deeply grateful to a large number of people and organisations for their assistance in producing this book. I hope I have included them all here but ask forgiveness if anyone has been missed out.

Books with general information on Ultra and the wider SIS scene There are a number of books that have been a great assistru1ce to me in my research and there are over thirry on my smdy shelves. However, several are quire ourstanding for those seeki11g more information on the wider aspects of che British Intelligence services. I acknowledge the help they have provided.

'A History of The Br itish Secret Service' by Richard Deacon , published by Frederick Muller Ltd.

'MI6' and 'GCHQ' Boch are by Nigel West and published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson. They are full of det~til and are a necessa1y read for those wishing to know more about the general history of both orgru1isations.

'The Secret War' by Brian Johnson published by BBC Publications in 1978.

'Spycatcher' by Peter Wright, first published by Viking Penguin in 1987. Whilst this is largely about his own ctreer in MIS, the early chapters refer co his father's dose connection with the Marconi organisation.

'The Secret Servant - The Life of Sir Stewart Menzies - Churchill's Spymaster' by Anthony Cave Brown published by Sphere Books Limited.

Books directly connected with Ultra and/ or the work of Section VIII These specifically cover the work at Bletchley Park, the 'Y' service and other operations that had connections with MIG Section VII I.

'Ultra goes to War' Quotes from this excellent book by Ronald Lewin are reproduced with the kind permission of Curtis Brown Ltd, London, on behalf of Rosemary Lewin Copyright (c) Ronald Lewin.

'Enigma - the Battle for the Code' by Hugh Sebag-Monreflore published by Phoenix. This explains the vital part played by che Royal Navy in providing the codebreakers with Enigma machines and German cypher books. It gives a more global view of the Ultra story than mosr others, and is rherefore, a must for those interested in understanding a wider picture. I am graceful to the amhor for permission co quore from his book.

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The Secret Wireless War

'Britain's best kept Secret - Ultra's base at Bletchley Park' This excellent publication by Ted Enever is on sale at the Bletchley Park book shop. A very comprehensive book covering the history of Bletchley Park itself, the arrival of SIS, a description of the work done during the war, the Huts, the Bombes, and Colossus. W ith his kind permission, the sections dealing with the early history of Bletchley Park and the Leons in Chapter 8, have been taken direcdy from his book. 'The Codebreakers - The inside story of Bletchley Park' by F. H. Hinsley and Alan Srriff Quire techn ical in pans but a rewarding book to read; containing stories of the successes, and failures of the code breakers. 'England Needs You - The story of Beaumanor' by Joan Nicholls who was in the ATS as an operator in the 'Y' (Wireless Interception) unit at Beaurnanor. Her book is avai lable from rhe Bletchley Park book shop. This is an important book for those wishing to learn abour the Y service and its importance as part of the Ultra Trilogy. Joan Nicholls has graciously written the section on 'Wireless intercept - the 'Y' service' - in chapter 8, especially for this book. 'After the Battle' Winston Ramsey is the Editor of the Magazine and I am deeply indebted to him for his kind permission ro use one of his articles in Chapter 18 on Black Propaganda. 'The Ultra Secret' by F. W. Wmterbotham I am grateful co Weidenfeld and Nicolson fo r permission co quote from the book. 'British Intelligence in tlte Second World W.'lr' (Vol. IV) by F.H. Hinsley; and C.A.G. Simkins. HMSO, 1990.

Organisations English Heritage fo r permission to include the aerial photograph of Whaddon. Imperial War Museum for their encouragemem and support Eton College for information on the schooling of lvlichael Gambier-Pany and his brother Richard GambierParry. Tough Bros. Ltd. at Teddington, Robert Tough for his help with derails of the MFU Foreign Office Archives for searches on the early station ar Barnes Ordnance Survey who have kindly allo,ved me to use the map of Whaddon and district for the cover of the book, and ro illustrate points inside. Bletchley Park Trust for rheir help. My special thanks ro Chrisrine Large, Director of rhe Blerchley Park Trust, for her great personal support to me when I starred the book. Ar that rime, rhe Section VIII and SCU contribution to the Ultra sto1y were nor appreciated, or seemingly understood , at Bletchley Parle Christine has helped me to balance the pictme.

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Acknowledgements and Bibliography

People I am indebted to many colleagues who were directly or indireccly employed by Secrion VIII and rhey are listed wirh my grareful thanks in rhe Preface. Some are relatives of wartime colleagues. However, I must reinforce my thanks to one or rwo of those, and to express my grarirude to the others who have been of great assistance in rhe production of this book. Pat Hawker has undoubtedly been the greacesc support to me in this project. He has been unstinting wich both his rime and his great knowledge of the evenrs I have tried ro pomay. Without Par, this would be a leaner and less aurhorirarive book. Edgar Harrison for his wonderful memory and the stories he relates of years long ago in the 1930s, when he srarted working the Peking to Barnes wireless traffic. Bob King has given his rime and personal recollections of our wartime organisarion. In particular, che story of rhe Yls and RSS in chapter 15 is largely his work, and I am immensely graceful for his inpur. David White wichout whose prodding this would never have happened anyvvay; for his w1stinted assistance in research, and in checking aspects of my work. John Lloyd who was unfailing with his help to me. Joyce Lilburn (nee Hill) for her continued support and e ncouragement as well as providing material for her family's fascinating story. John Riley was at Hanslope with RSS and was a cower of strength in che early days when I had !ors of folders with chapter headings - but nothing in them. Ray Herbert who wrote abouc ' Funny Neuk' for the Bourne Magazine and has helped me with my chapter on this part of the history of SIS wireless, parricularly by purring me in touch with Ron Humphrey. Ron Humphrey has provided me with pictures of Funny N eul