Publisher Description

With many colourful anecdotes and vivid descriptions, this is the first authentic account of daily life at Government Communications Headquarters, Bletchley Park, the most successful intelligence agency in history. Described by Churchill as the 'secret weapon' that 'won the war', the men and women of Bletchley Park here combine to write their story in full.This book gives fascinating insights into recruitment and training, together with a fulland accurate account of codes and ciphers and how they are broken.

Back Cover

This original, authentic account of daily life at Government Communications Headquarters Bletchley Park, the most successful intelligence agency in history, is animated with colourful anecdotes and vivid descriptions. The men and women of Bletchley Park, described by Churchill as the 'secret weapon' that 'won the war', tell their story in full.

Author Biography

Sir Harry Hinsley was formerly Master of St John's College and Professor of the History of International Relations in the University of Cambridge. Alan Stripp is Director of Cambridge University Summer Schools on British Secret Services

Table of Contents

Introduction. The Influence of Ultra in the Second World WarF.H. Hinsley:Part One. The Production of Ultra Intelligence1: William Millward: Life in and out of Hut 32: Ralph Bennett: The Duty Officer, Hut 33: Edward Thomas: A naval officer in Hut 34: Alex Dakin: The Z Watch in Hut 4, Part I5: Walter Eytan: The Z Watch in Hut 4, Part 26: Patrick Wilkinson: Italian naval decrypts7: Vivienne Alford: Naval Section VI8: Telford Taylor: Anglo-American signals intelligence co-operation9: Robert M. Slusser: An American at Bletchley Park10: F.H. Hinsley: Bletchley Park, the Admiralty, and naval EnigmaPart Two. Enigma11 11: Alan Stripp: The Enigma Machine12: Stuart Milner-Barry: Hut 6: Early Days13: Derek Taunt: Hut 6: 1941-194514: Joan Murray: Hut 8 and naval Enigma, Part 115: Rolf Noskwith: Hut 8 and naval Enigma, Part 216: Peter Twinn: The Abwehr Enigma17: Diana Payne: The bombesPart Three. Fish18: F.H. Hinsley: An Introduction to Fish19: Jack Good: Enigma and Fish20: Ken Halton: The Tunny Machine21: Operation TunnyPart Four. Field ciphers and tactical codes22: Henry Dryden: Recollections of Bletchley Park, France, and Cairo23: Noel Currer-Briggs: Army Ultra's Poor Relations24: Christopher Morris: Navy Ultra Poor Relations25: Peter Gray Lucas: Tactical signals of the German AirforcePart Five. Japanese codes26: Michael Loewe: Japanese naval codes27: Hugh Denham: Bedford-Bletchley-Kilindini-Colombo28: Maurice Wiles: Japanese military codes29: Alan Stripp: Japanese Army Air Force codes at Bletchley Park and Delhi30: Carmen Blacker: Recollections of temps perdu at Bletchley ParkAppendix. How the Bletchly Park buildings took shapeBob Watson:

Review

`it is an exciting story they have to tell.'Tom Greenwell, Yorkshire Post`... because of its intense secrecy, the work of the men and women at Bletchley received no public recognition for many years after the war, and many of those who made important contributions are no longer alive.This volume of personal recollections by some 30 of the survivors is ... especially welcome. Conditions of life and work at Bletchley, and its principal achievements, are faithfully sampled in Codebreakers, which is worth reading both for itshistorical interest and for the sidelights it throws on the problems encountered in the rapid assembly and organization of one of the greatest collections of talent that has ever occurred in Westerncivilization.'Nature`This unique volume will be of great interest to cryptologists in particular, and intelligence buffs in general.'Surveillant`While some of the chapters are so technical that Stella Rimmington would struggle to unscramble them, one still gets a strong sense of the excitement and frustrations of a war fought on the airwaves.'Daily Telegraph`the anecdotal material is fascinating in the insight it gives into everyday life at the institution.'Sunday Times`Hinsley and Stripp have assembled 30 reminiscers - most geniuses, a few slaves, all highly informative.'Robin Blake, Independent on Sunday`it is a remarkable tribute to the men and women who worked to crack the Germans' Enigma code.'David Hall,Oxford Times`The most interesting thing about this collection of essays is the light it throws on the personalities concerned.'Times Higher Education Supplement`These essays on the diverse activities at Bletchley Park (which remained secret until the 1970s) are enthralling.'The Observer`What makes Codebreakers so absorbing is that it has been written by the men and women who worked at Bletchley Park, all of whom were forbidden to talk about their work at the time. Codebreakers gives a fascinating insight into their daily lives.'Madeleine Burton, Hitchin Gazette`... one gets a strong sense of the excitement and frustrations of a war fought on the airwaves.'Daily Telegraph`Interesting stuff.'The Marine Society`This book has been put together from the personal memories of people none of whom would now be under 65. That they are so readable attests to the skill of the editors, who were themselves part of the Bletchley operation. Above all, it highlights the painstaking effort that intelligence work demands; but, as this volume shows, intelligence is useless there is force and a willingness to take advantage of it.'John Farquharson, Canberra Times`This new book is the first full account of Bletchley written by those who worked there. The book is superbly edited by F.H. Hinsley and Alan Stripp, Expositions are lucid and understandable to the layman - a considerable achievement. There are good photographs including those of Enigma cipher machines. Altogether, this is a splendid book for military historians, operational planners and especially intelligence officers.'Howard, Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Air Power History`This is a fascinating saga.'M. G. Bond, Army Quarterly and Defence Journal`editors and contributors have made Codebreakers an essential work ... It must be read by anyone and everyone concerned with intelligence during the Second World war .... It will be fundamental to anyone concerned with the techniques used during the Second World War to attack ciphers, super-enciphered codebooks or machine ciphers.'John Ferris, University of Calgary, Intelligence and National Secuirty`... a very intimate, anecdotal history. Despite the grim and far-reaching nature of their work, the reader goets a sense of a world bounded by four walls and shared with a few close associates whose common work made for very close relationships. The work of the codebreakers ... is fascinating, if sometimes barely comprehensible. ... a dramatic insight into just how remarkable the codebreakers' accomplishments were.'British Heritage`It comes with impeccable references in the shape of its editors' background and reputation, and does not disappoint.'The British Army Review`fascinating insiders' account of wartime code-cracking... and absorbing read.'Niall Fergusson`a highly revealing, even exciting book... that lays fascinating former secrets bare... It is a delight to have so crucial a subject so clearly and entertainingly described, by some thirty people who really understand what they are discussing and can set the record quite straight.'M. R. D. Foot, The Times`Anyone interested in the Second World War will sit up all night, and chess players and puzzle-solvers will be captivated by the later chapters.'Noel Annan, Independent on Sunday

Kirkus UK Review

The one great success story of British Intelligence was the wartime cracking of Germany's Enigma code and the consequent ability of the Allies to predict with near certainty both the strategy and the tactics of the Axis enemy. This achievement, if it did not win the war, certainly shortened it by a considerable period. It is ironic then that not until the 1970s did any hint of it emerge, and much of the story remains wrapped in Official Secrecy. Happily some of the veil is lifted in this series of reminiscences from people who were among the some 8000 who ultimately worked on the project. The result is fascinating and even at times moving, as these seemingly powerless and sightless moles were able to perceive both the progress and the reality of the war. The editors have done an impeccable job. (Kirkus UK)

Long Description

With many colourful anecdotes and vivid descriptions, this is the first authentic account of daily life at Government Communications Headquarters, Bletchley Park, the most successful intelligence agency in history. Described by Churchill as the 'secret weapon' that 'won the war', the men and women of Bletchley Park here combine to write their story in full.This book gives fascinating insights into recruitment and training, together with a full
and accurate account of codes and ciphers and how they are broken.

Review Text

`it is an exciting story they have to tell.'
Tom Greenwell, Yorkshire Post
`... because of its intense secrecy, the work of the men and women at Bletchley received no public recognition for many years after the war, and many of those who made important contributions are no longer alive.This volume of personal recollections by some 30 of the survivors is ... especially welcome. Conditions of life and work at Bletchley, and its principal achievements, are faithfully sampled in Codebreakers, which is worth reading both for its
historical interest and for the sidelights it throws on the problems encountered in the rapid assembly and organization of one of the greatest collections of talent that has ever occurred in Western
civilization.'
Nature
`This unique volume will be of great interest to cryptologists in particular, and intelligence buffs in general.'
Surveillant
`While some of the chapters are so technical that Stella Rimmington would struggle to unscramble them, one still gets a strong sense of the excitement and frustrations of a war fought on the airwaves.'
Daily Telegraph
`the anecdotal material is fascinating in the insight it gives into everyday life at the institution.'
Sunday Times
`Hinsley and Stripp have assembled 30 reminiscers - most geniuses, a few slaves, all highly informative.'
Robin Blake, Independent on Sunday
`it is a remarkable tribute to the men and women who worked to crack the Germans' Enigma code.'
David Hall,Oxford Times
`The most interesting thing about this collection of essays is the light it throws on the personalities concerned.'
Times Higher Education Supplement
`These essays on the diverse activities at Bletchley Park (which remained secret until the 1970s) are enthralling.'
The Observer
`What makes Codebreakers so absorbing is that it has been written by the men and women who worked at Bletchley Park, all of whom were forbidden to talk about their work at the time. Codebreakers gives a fascinating insight into their daily lives.'
Madeleine Burton, Hitchin Gazette
`... one gets a strong sense of the excitement and frustrations of a war fought on the airwaves.'
Daily Telegraph
`Interesting stuff.'
The Marine Society
`This book has been put together from the personal memories of people none of whom would now be under 65. That they are so readable attests to the skill of the editors, who were themselves part of the Bletchley operation. Above all, it highlights the painstaking effort that intelligence work demands; but, as this volume shows, intelligence is useless there is force and a willingness to take advantage of it.'
John Farquharson, Canberra Times
`This new book is the first full account of Bletchley written by those who worked there. The book is superbly edited by F.H. Hinsley and Alan Stripp, Expositions are lucid and understandable to the layman - a considerable achievement. There are good photographs including those of Enigma cipher machines. Altogether, this is a splendid book for military historians, operational planners and especially intelligence officers.'
Howard, Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Air Power History
`This is a fascinating saga.'
M. G. Bond, Army Quarterly and Defence Journal
`editors and contributors have made Codebreakers an essential work ... It must be read by anyone and everyone concerned with intelligence during the Second World war .... It will be fundamental to anyone concerned with the techniques used during the Second World War to attack ciphers, super-enciphered codebooks or machine ciphers.'
John Ferris, University of Calgary, Intelligence and National Secuirty
`... a very intimate, anecdotal history. Despite the grim and far-reaching nature of their work, the reader goets a sense of a world bounded by four walls and shared with a few close associates whose common work made for very close relationships. The work of the codebreakers ... is fascinating, if sometimes barely comprehensible. ... a dramatic insight into just how remarkable the codebreakers' accomplishments were.'
British Heritage
`It comes with impeccable references in the shape of its editors' background and reputation, and does not disappoint.'
The British Army Review
`fascinating insiders' account of wartime code-cracking... and absorbing read.'
Niall Fergusson
`a highly revealing, even exciting book... that lays fascinating former secrets bare... It is a delight to have so crucial a subject so clearly and entertainingly described, by some thirty people who really understand what they are discussing and can set the record quite straight.'
M. R. D. Foot, The Times
`Anyone interested in the Second World War will sit up all night, and chess players and puzzle-solvers will be captivated by the later chapters.'
Noel Annan, Independent on Sunday

Review Quote

'While some of the chapters are so technical that Stella Rimmington wouldstruggle to unscramble them, one still gets a strong sense of the excitement andfrustrations of a war fought on the airwaves.'Daily Telegraph

Promotional "Headline"

Introduction. The Influence of Ultra in the Second World WarF.H. Hinsley: Part One. The Production of Ultra Intelligence 1. William Millward: Life in and out of Hut 3 2. Ralph Bennett: The Duty Officer, Hut 3 3. Edward Thomas: A naval officer in Hut 3 4. Alex Dakin: The Z Watch in Hut 4, Part I 5. Walter Eytan: The Z Watch in Hut 4, Part 2 6. Patrick Wilkinson: Italian naval decrypts 7. Vivienne Alford: Naval Section VI 8. Telford Taylor: Anglo-American signals intelligence co-operation 9. Robert M. Slusser: An American at Bletchley Park 10. F.H. Hinsley: Bletchley Park, the Admiralty, and naval Enigma Part Two. Enigma 11 11. Alan Stripp: The Enigma Machine 12. Stuart Milner-Barry: Hut 6: Early Days 13. Derek Taunt: Hut 6: 1941-1945 14. Joan Murray: Hut 8 and naval Enigma, Part 1 15. Rolf Noskwith: Hut 8 and naval Enigma, Part 2 16. Peter Twinn: The Abwehr Enigma 17. Diana Payne: The bombes Part Three. Fish 18. F.H. Hinsley: An Introduction to Fish 19. Jack Good: Enigma and Fish 20. Ken Halton: The Tunny Machine 21. Operation Tunny Part Four. Field ciphers and tactical codes 22. Henry Dryden: Recollections of Bletchley Park, France, and Cairo 23. Noel Currer-Briggs: Army Ultra's Poor Relations 24. Christopher Morris: Navy Ultra Poor Relations 25. Peter Gray Lucas: Tactical signals of the German Airforce Part Five. Japanese codes 26. Michael Loewe: Japanese naval codes 27. Hugh Denham: Bedford-Bletchley-Kilindini-Colombo 28. Maurice Wiles: Japanese military codes 29. Alan Stripp: Japanese Army Air Force codes at Bletchley Park and Delhi 30. Carmen Blacker: Recollections of temps perdu at Bletchley Park Appendix. How the Bletchly Park buildings took shapeBob Watson:

Feature

First authentic and comprehensive account of the operations at Bletchley Park
Written by the 'codebreakers' themselves
Full of fascinating anecdotes and first hand accounts
Fully illustrated coverage of how the codes were cracked
c 50,000 copies of the paperback sold so far, with excellent reviews
Film of the Bletchley Park operations is due out next year -- investigating film tie possibilities.

Details