Bletchley Park is the home of British codebreaking and a birthplace of modern information technology. It played a major role in World War Two, producing secret intelligence which had a direct and profound influence on the outcome of the conflict. The site is now a museum and heritage attraction, open daily.
The Bletchley Park Podcast brings you fascinating stories from Veterans, staff and volunteers on the significance and continued relevance of this site today.
E106 - Invasion Norway
Apr 09, 2020
Show notes
April 2020 In early 1940, as winter turned to spring, the world waited for the ‘Phony war’ to end with the expected German attack in the west. But the leaders of both Allied and Axis forces were looking in another direction, to the north, to the snow and the steel, to Scandinavia. Meanwhile in a wooden hut at Bletchley Park, recent recruit Harry Hinsley was certain a German fleet was preparing to set sail, but how could he, a 21-year-old civilian in a highly secret department, persuade the Admiralty that he was right? In this ‘It Happened Here’ episode we explore the difficult start of Bletchley Park’s role in Britain’s war at sea. Bletchley Park’s Research Historian Dr David Kenyon will be our guide. As usual special thanks go to Mr Ben Thomson for voicing our archival documents. * Producers Note * We have had to record this episode remotely due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. This means that the audio quality is not to the high quality we would normally wish it to be. We hope our listeners will understand and still enjoy this episode. Image: Public Domain Naval History and Heritage Command #BPark, #WW2, #BletchleyParkEnigma80, #Enigma80
E105 - Plunder on the Rhine
Mar 13, 2020
Show notes
March 2020 As 1945 began, the Germans’ last roll of the dice in the Ardennes has failed. They were left to face the overwhelming force of men and materiel of the Allied armies approaching the Fatherland from all directions. For the Allies in the west, the natural barrier of the Rhine River was all that lay between them and the open plains of Germany, and the last phase of the war in the west. Meanwhile the Government Code & Cypher School at Bletchley Park were producing more intelligence than ever before, but for how much longer? We’ll find out how it was at this point that the Germans challenged the Codebreakers like never before. In this It Happened Here episode our Research Officer Dr Thomas Cheetham will take us through the action on the front line and reveal just how difficult it was becoming to keep supplying actionable Intelligence in the last year of the war. As usual special thanks go to Mr Ben Thomson for voicing our archival documents. In memoriam, Eileen Younghusband BEM (1921-2016) WAAF Section Officer Image: US Army Green Books
E103 - Enigma Unlocked
Jan 22, 2020
Show notes
January 2020 80 years ago, in January 1940, British and French troops were freezing in their dugouts awaiting a German attack which would not come for several months yet; the so-called ‘Phony war’. Bletchley Park, by contrast was a hive of activity as efforts were made to break into German codes and ciphers, including the Enigma system, before the land war began in earnest. In this ‘It Happened Here’ episode we are guided by Bletchley Park’s Research Historian Dr David Kenyon through the evolution of this infamous cipher machine, and the international efforts which led to the unlocking of its secrets in January 1940. As usual special thanks go to Mr Ben Thomson for voicing our archival documents. Image courtesy of Vic Roberts. #BPark, #WW2, #BletchleyParkEnigma80, #Enigma80
E101 - Battle of the Bulge
Dec 17, 2019
Show notes
December 2019 After nearly 6 months of fighting from the beaches of Normandy, by early December 1944 the Allies’ front line stretched for 600 miles from the North Sea coast to the borders of Switzerland. The Scheldt estuary had finally been cleared, allowing the port of Antwerp to be opened and to start to ease their supply problems. With one of the coldest winters on record taking hold and Christmas approaching many of the front line troops probably expected a respite for at least a few weeks. What they didn’t expect was for more than 400,000 German troops to come smashing through the Ardennes on a mission to recapture Antwerp and split the Allied forces in two. Why was the Battle of the Bulge such a surprise? Was it Allied complacency or German ingenuity? In this “It Happened Here” episode, using contemporary archival documents, Bletchley Park’s Research Officer Dr Thomas Cheetham, will try to answer those questions. Special thanks to Mr Ben Thomson for playing the role of our Intelligence Officer. In memoriam, Eileen Younghusband BEM (1921-2016) WAAF Section Officer #BPark, #Bletchleypark, #WW2, #Bulge75
E100 – Légion d’honneur
Dec 12, 2019
Show notes
December 2019 At the end of each year we like to focus on the important work that our Oral History Officer Jonathan Byrne and his team of staff and volunteers carry out. The interviews they record not only help to build a better picture of the vital work carried out here during World War Two but also help us develop new ways to share those stories with our visitors, such as exhibitions, family activities and online resources. In this, the first of three episodes this month, we catch up with Jonathan and find out about the presentation of France’s highest order of merit, the Légion d’honneur, to Bletchley Park Veterans. We also introduce the newest member of Jonathan’s team, Oral History Assistant, Will Hankey who describes his passion for his work. The rest of this episode explores the experiences of three of our Légion d’honneur recipients. Mrs Helene Aldwinckle worked in Hut 6 and Block D (6) at Bletchley Park from 1942 till 1945. RAF Flight Sergeant Gordon Rosenberg served in Special Liaison Units 8 and 9, first in Europe and then later in the Pacific. Walter ‘Joe’ Wright served with the Royal Signals in Special Communications Units 1 and 8 from August 1944 till September 1945. Image courtesy the Aldwinckle family. #BPark, #Bletchleypark, #WW2
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