Amid the baronial splendor of the Episcopal Diocesan House of St. Mark's on Capitol Hill on a recent Sunday after-noon (Nov. 9), the Seattle branch of the English Speaking Union hosted a reception and a talk by Peter John Westcombe on breaking the Enigma code. Westcombe also talked about Bletchley Park, where it all happened, and the special relationship between President Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. The talk was accompanied by slides, maps and original photographs of the prime movers, Army, Naval and Air Force top brass of both Britain and the United States.
The ESU program was planned more than a year ago. I know because I did the planning, sharing the story with you of Bletchley Park and breaking the Enigma code in my column of Sept. 17. The audience of ESU members, including at least a dozen Queen Anne and Magnolia residents, listened with great interest to the fascinating stories told by Peter Westcombe. One lady's sister had actually worked at Bletchley Park.
Another interesting point made about the significance of the work undertaken in Bletchley Park in 1944 was the fact that the notorious spy Kim Philby applied for a job at the park - no doubt at the instruction of his Russian controller. Fortunately, he failed the interview and returned to his less valuable position within MI.6!
The importance of relaying secret messages in code had been recognized by military chiefs for centuries. However, it was not until early this century that technology had evolved sufficiently to allow the creation and transmission of encoded messages with mind-numbing complexity. In retrospect, the pioneering achievements of an eccentric English mathematician, Alan Turing, and Prof. Newman and T.H. Flowers are now regarded as among the most important landmarks in the development of computers this century, and Bletchley Park can rightfully claim to be the birthplace of today's modern computer industry. This was of great interest to the computer experts in the audience.
The special relationship between Roosevelt and Churchill was the start of major cooperation - pooling information, interception and decoding - that not only benefited the European theater of operation but greatly aided the decoding of Japanese ciphers in the Pacific theater. It was also of great help in Naval operations of the Pacific Fleet, ending up with the forming of an intelligence center in Brisbane, Australia, where General MacArthur was involved. This part of the talk was of special interest to the many World War II veterans present, including a high-ranking, retired American naval officer, who might very well have owed their lives to the eccentric mathematicians and handful of code-breakers who never fired a shot in anger.
During the question-and-answer period following his talk, Westcombe recommended two books on the subject: "The Hut 6 Story," by Gordon Welchman, and "The Enigma Sym-posium," by Hugh Skillen.
In all, it was a most informative and enjoyable evening, and we hope Peter Westcombe will return to our fair city with more of his fascinating tales.
TTFN.
The following letter was sent by General Eisenhower to the personnel at Bletchley Park:
July 1945
Dear General Menzies:
I had hoped to be able to pay a visit to Bletchley Park in order to thank you, Sir Edward Travis, and the members of the staff personally for the magnificent service which has been rendered to the Allied cause.
I am very well aware of the immense amount of work and effort which has been involved in the production of the material with which you supplied us. I fully realize also the numerous setbacks and difficulties with which you have had to contend and how you have always, by your supreme efforts, overcome them.
The intelligence which has emanated from you before and during this campaign has been priceless value to me. It has simplified my task as a commander enormously. It has saved thousands of British and American lives and, in no small way, contributed to the speed with which the enemy was routed and eventually forced to surrender.
I should be very grateful, therefore, if you would express to each and every one of those engaged in this work from me personally my heartfelt admiration and sincere thanks for their very decisive contribution to the Allied war effort.
Sincerely,
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Linda Greenwald, a.k.a. Linda of London, is a Queen Anne resident and consultant on all things British. She graciously invites anyone wishing more book suggestions or other details about the Bletchley Park story to telephone her at 282-8161.[[In-content Ad]]
