The Friends latest trip in May saw 42 dedicated travellers visit Bletchley Park and enter the Secret World of WW2 ‘codebreakers’.
Arriving on one of Coliseum’s luxury coaches, the group were greeted by their own Guide, who took them through a 60 minute tour of the site. This included a presentation in the Chauffeurs Hut followed by a brilliant walking tour of the site.
The weather can always be counted upon to make Friends trips varied; this trip did not disappoint. Thunder, lightning, torrential rain all combined to make a lively ‘sprint’ between the various ‘codebreakers’ Huts!
Bletchley Park was one of Britain’s best kept secrets during WW2, home of the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS).
Brilliant mathematicians were recruited from Cambridge and Oxford University as codebreakers, to penetrate the secret communications of the Axis Powers, especially the German Enigma and Lorenz cipher machines. Ultimately, 10,000 staff were employed at the site as the work grew in importance.
The Friends were able to view much of this activity in the various Huts and the Museum, which contained original Enigma and Lorenz cipher machines.
The afternoon drew to a close with even heavier storms, resulting in a rush to the tea rooms, followed by a fast and comfortable trip home to Romsey.
The trip was led by Friends members John and Julia Slade and a very big thank you to both of them
Friends members commented;
“I met a long lost friend – the paper tape computer I was programming in 1963”
“Brilliant day out, well managed and very interesting, when’s the next one!!”
“Whether one was computer literate or not, an informative and fascinating day was had by all”
Ken Gibson
Friends member
