Re: Colossus Talk, Cambridge, 18th February

Dear Frode

(and all those who commented in a similar manner.)

It is gratifying to know that other also feel the need to attempt to 
stop this serious error propagating any further.

We on the Bombe Rebuild team often get to the point of wanted to 'pull 
our hair out' when so many visitors to Bletchley Park ask questions that 
show that they believe that Colossus cracked Enigma cyphers.

This is not surprising when one realises how many National Museums 
around the world have propagated the error. This was even true at one 
time of one of our own national museums. The last one I picked up on was 
the Technisches Museum Wien in Vienna. I emailed them but received no 
reply.

There is also a GCHQ promotion video that gets it wrong!

The irony is that it is quite possible that the error actually started 
about twelve years ago from the people then running the BP Trust. Even 
if it did not start there, the fact that the Enigma Trail that was in 
place until about five years ago ended up with a demonstration of the 
Rebuilt Colossus; without saying anything significant about the Bombe 
and the equipment relating to it, did not help.

Whilst writing I will also add that another common error that has 'got 
around' is to show a photograph of an American Navy NCR Bombe as an 
example of a British Bombe. This error appeared in an IEE brochure for 
an exhibition they laid on some time ago. When queried they said that 
they had been sent this by the IWM!

The only way we on the Bombe Rebuild Team feel that we can try to put 
these errors right is to present an accurate picture at Bletchley Park.

We are progressing well on this. Our Bombe Rebuild is complete and has 
worked reliably now for six months since its formal 'switch on'. We are 
able to repeat real work taking examples from the BP archive. In fact we 
have taken this work further in some cases and decoded more plain German 
than was achieved during W.W.II.

The machine can be demonstrated by appointment but never the less is 
always on display with the rear open for all visitors to see. It is in 
an area where groups of about 50 can be accommodated. Around this area 
are display boards that give the full story of where the Bombe fitted 
into the scheme of things at BP.

We also have our rebuilt Checking Machine and a British Typex machine, 
modified to act as an Enigma machine available for demonstrations but 
soon to be on permanent display in a few weeks time when display covers 
are complete.

Beyond this we are assisting with a complete revamp of the rest of the 
Enigma related items in 'B' block. When complete this will have some 
similarity to the old Enigma Trail but now with an accurate bombe 
display and its contribution to Ultra intelligence. There is a hope that 
this revamp will be complete this summer.

However there is no need to wait for this. The display is we believe 
accurate and the best way we can think of, to try and correct these 
errors that have built up, is to show a correct story.

We would be grateful to any member of the BPARK list that can help us by 
pointing potential visitors to BP.

Regards


>Hello Andrew,
>
>I just visited the Talks Cambridge Web page and I see the following:
>
>The World's first electronic digital programmable computer has been
>painstakingly rebuilt at Bletchley Park, where it was vital for decoding
>Enigma intercepts.
>
>To my knowledge Colossus was never, ever used for decoding ENIGMA
>messages. Colossus was used for what it was designed for, to break
>messages enciphered on the teleprinter cipher attachment Lorenz
>Schluesselzusatz SZ40 and SZ42.
>
>I wanted to inform Dr. Richard Freeman about this but unfortunately his
>e-mail address is not publicly available via the Talks Cambridge Web
>page. Do you think you can pass the message to him.
>
>Best wishes,
>       Frode
>
>
>    Frode Weierud      Phone:  +41 22 7674794
>    CERN, AB,          Fax:    +41 22 7679185
>    CH-1211 Geneva 23, E-mail: [email protected],
>    Switzerland                [email protected]
>                       WWW:    http://home.cern.ch/frode/
>                               http://cryptocellar.org
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Bletchley Park discussion
>> [mailto:BLETCHLEYPARK-0lvw86wZMd/[email protected]] On Behalf Of Andrew Watson
>> Sent: Thursday, 07 February, 2008 12:06
>> To: BLETCHLEYPARK-0lvw86wZMd/[email protected]
>> Subject: [BPARK] Colossus Talk, Cambridge, 18th February
>>
>> http://talks.cam.ac.uk/talk/index/8774
>>
>> Rebuilding the Colossus of the Modern World
>>
>>     * Tony Sale, Hon Fellow of the British Computer Society
>>     * Monday 18 February 2008, 19:30-21:00
>>     * Wolfson Lecture Theatre, Churchill College, Cambridge CB3 0DS
>>
>> If you have a question about this talk, please contact Dr
>> Richard Freeman
>>
>> The World's first electronic digital programmable computer
>> has been painstakingly rebuilt at Bletchley Park, where it
>> was vital for decoding Enigma intercepts
>>
>> This talk is part of the Cambridge Society for the
>> Application of Research
>> (CSAR) series.
>>
>

-- 
John Harper
Project Manager
Bombe Rebuild Project