Bletchley 'intercepts'

From The Times
March 5, 2009

Bletchley 'intercepts'
----------------------

Setting the record straight on deciphered messages during the Second World 
War

Sir, Second World War messages were never intercepted at Bletchley Park 
( "Nazi spy came close to changing outcome of the war", Mar 3 ). Armed 
Service messages were intercepted by the Y-stations, but in this case, as 
with all spies, by the Radio Security Service at nine intercept stations 
manned chiefly by radio amateurs.

After a spell of voluntary intercepting, along with 1,700 other radio 
amateurs at home and in complete secrecy, I worked full-time at Arkley, 
North London, processing the intercepts from our stations before sending 
them on to Bletchley for possible deciphering. Messages from Himmler’s 
Sicherheitsdienst were never deciphered owing to its strict operating 
procedures.

It is most unlikely that an Enigma machine would have been allowed on a 
Portuguese vessel, but rather a hand cipher would be employed. With 
careful use these could be almost as safe as Enigma, hand ciphers being 
deciphered by Oliver Strachey’s department at Bletchley Park.

Bob King

St Ives, Cambs 


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article5847133.ece