226. Breaking the Code and Winning the Secret War, Bletchley Park, 27 June 2024

After strenuous efforts for find a date that was convenient to everyone, a group of Company Members visited Bletchley Park to discover the incredible achievements of Britain's World War Two Codebreakers.  We were ably guided by Court Assistant Christine Jarvis who is an expert on London and well beyond.  As several of the group had travelled considerable distances to get there we started with a cup of coffee/tea.  We then joined a guided tour of the site, learning much about its history and the people who worked there.

It is amazing but only recently are we finding much out about the thousands who worked there.  Numbers of staff rose from 180 to over 9000.  The silence is a reflection of the high level of secrecy that surrounded their work which was respected by them.  We learnt about the collaboration with the French, US and Polish intelligence communities and saw the memorial to the Polish Codebreakers who led the initial work.  We heard about the brilliant minds and complex machines that made this vital work possible, and discovered the global impact Bletchley Park had on the outcome of the war.

After lunch we toured the original Victorian mansion and saw Commander Denniston’s office and library.  There was so much to see and so little time to do it justice.  It is logical that the entry tickets last a year.

Afterwards several of our party adjourned for afternoon tea in the delightful Japanese garden at Jo Parker’s home.

Our grateful thanks to Jo and Christine for a grand day out.

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