The Bletchley Park Codebreakers (58 page)

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1
hinsley’s 1979 lecture: information provided by the late Sir harry hinsley to christopher Andrew.

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2
Turing on the Abdication: Turing to his mother, 11 December 1936 (King’s college Archives, cambridge, AMT K/1/50); Andrew hodge,
Alan Turing: The Enigma
(Burnett Books, London, 1983), pp. 121–2.

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3
–
4
British breaches of Sigint security in the 1920s: Christopher Andrew,
Secret Service: The Making of the British Intelligence Community,
3rd edition (Sceptre, London, 1992), chaps 9, 10.

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5
–
6
Sinclair’s instructions to Denniston: A. G. Denniston, ‘The Government Code and Cypher School between the Wars’, in Christopher Andrew (ed.),
Codebreaking and Signals Intelligence
(Frank cass, London, 1986), p. 52.

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7
Recruitment of ‘professor types’: Andrew,
Secret Service
, chap. 14.

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8
Turing to his mother: letter, 14 October [1936] (King’s College Archives, Cambridge, AMT K/1/43).

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9
Turing and codebreaking: Hodge,
Alan Turing
.

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10
Alice in ID25: Frank Birch, Alice in ID25, privately printed, copy in A. G. Denniston papers (CCAC).

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11
Breaking down Knox’s bathroom door: unpublished memoirs by Professor E. R. Vincent (Cambridge Professor of Italian and Bletchley Park veteran), p. 107 (Corpus Christi College Archives, Cambridge).

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12
‘Hockey or Watching the Daisies Grow’: drawing at the end of the third volume of Turing’s correspondence with his mother (King’s College Archives, Cambridge).

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13
Turing’s silver ingots: Hodge,
Alan Turing
, pp. 344–5.

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14
–
15
Hinsley’s recruitment: Christopher Andrew, ‘F. H. Hinsley and the Cambridge Moles: Two Patterns of intelligence Recruitment’, in R. T. B. Langhorne (ed.),
Diplomacy and Intelligence in the Second World War: Essays
in Honour of F. H. Hinsley
(CUP, Cambridge, 1985).

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16
later co-edited: F. H. Hinsley and Alan Stripp (eds),
Codebreakers
(OUP, Oxford, 1993).

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17
Ewing and recruitment to Room 40: Andrew,
Secret Service
, chap. 3.

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18
Twinn’s recruitment: letter from Peter Twinn to Christopher Andrew, 29 May 1981.

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19
–
20
Recruitment of mathematicians and chess players to Bletchley Park: Andrew,
Secret Service
, chap. 3; David Kahn,
Seizing the Enigma
(Souvenir Press, London, 1992), pp. 92 ff.

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21
Origins and early history of GC&CS: Denniston, ‘The Code and Cypher School’.

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22
US Sigint in the decade before Pearl Harbor: Christopher Andrew,
For the
President’s Eyes Only: Secret Intelligence and the American Presidency from Washington to Bush
(HarperCollins, London/New York, 1995), chap. 3.

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23
–
24
Roosevelt and Magic: Andrew,
For the President’s Eyes Only
, chap. 3; David Kahn, ‘Roosevelt, MAGIC and ULTRA’,
Cryptologia
, 16 (1992), 289.

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25
Churchill and Sigint: Andrew,
Secret Service
, chaps 3, 9, 10, 14; Christopher Andrew, ‘Churchill and Intelligence’, in Michael Handel (ed.),
Leaders and Intelligence
(Frank Cass, London, 1988); David Stafford,
Churchill and Secret Service
(John Murray, London, 1997).

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26
Kennedy diary: John Ferris (ed.), ‘From Broadway House to Bletchiey Park: The Diary of Captain Malcolm D. Kennedy, 1934–1946’,
Intelligence and National Security
, 4(3) (1989), 421.

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27
–
28
JN-25B: Frederick D. Parker, ‘The Unsolved Messages of Pearl Harbor’,
Cryptologia
, 15 (1991), 295.

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29
‘ACTION THIS DAY’: Sir Stuart Milner-Barry,’ “Action This Day”: The Letter from Bletchley Park Cryptanalysts to the Prime Minister, 21 October 1941’,
Intelligence and National Security
, 1(2) (1986), 272.

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1
Army resentment, lack of co-operation and 1917 exchange of results: ‘Record of Conference held at the Admiralty on 5 August 1919 on amalgamation of MIlb and NID25’ (PRO HW 3/35); Christopher Andrew,
Secret Service: The Making of the British Intelligence Community
(Sceptre, London, 1986), p. 142; and ‘Notes of Formation of GC&CS’ (PRO HW 3/33), 1.

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2
Admiralty conference: ‘Record of Conference held at the Admiralty on 5 August 1919 on amalgamation of MIlb and NID25’.

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3
Creation and roles of GC&CS: ‘Notes of Formation of GC&CS’, 1; A. G. Denniston, ‘History of GC&CS’ (PRO HW 3/32), 1.

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Main GC&CS targets and ‘only real operational intelligence’: ibid., C: Development 1919–1939, 3.

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5
‘devotee of his art’: translation of German newspaper article by former Russian codebreaker (PRO HW 3/12).

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6
Role in capture of the
Magdeburg
codebook: Andrew,
Secret Service
, pp. 143, 376.

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7
–6 Details of Fetterlein’s flight from Russia: P. William Filby, ‘Bletchley Park and Berkeley Street’,
Intelligence and National Security
, 3(2) (1988), 272.

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8
Fetterlein’s wartime work: ‘Work Done by Staff of ID25 During the War’. Summary. 15/5/1919 (PRO HW 3/35).

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Fetterlein’s working practice: Filby, ‘Bletchley Park and Berkeley Street’.

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10
British early success: Denniston, ‘History of GC&CS’, C: Development 1919–1939, 3.

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11
Contents of Russian BJs: John Johnson,
The Evolution of British Sigint
1653–1939
(HMSO, Cheltenham, 1997), p. 48; [John Curry],
The Security Service 1908–1945: The Official History
(PRO, London, 1989), p. 93.

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12
–7 Wilson and Sinclair demand action: Andrew,
Secret Service
, pp. 383–6.

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13
Kamenev declared persona non grata: Johnson,
Evolution
, p. 48.

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14
Further press leaks and Krasin to Litvinov: ibid.

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15
Frunze complaint and change of ciphers: Christopher Andrew and Oleg Gordievsky,
KGB: The Inside Story
(Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1990), p. 55.

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16
Fetterlein success with new ciphers: Johnson,
Evolution
, pp. 48–9.

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17
–8 Sources of telegrams: Denniston, ‘History of GC&CS’, pp. 10–15; ‘History of Military Sigint’, chap. 1 (PRO HW 3/90), 15–17; ‘Historical Notes on Formation of GC&CS’ (PRO HW 3/33), 1–3.

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18
Curzon embarrassment: W. F. Clarke, ‘Naval Section of GC&CS’ (PRO HW 3/1), 12.

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Sinclair appointment and move to Queen’s Gate: ‘Historical Notes on Formation of GC&CS’, 1–3.

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20
Curzon ultimatum: Andrew,
Secret Service
, pp. 417–19.

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Russian messages deciphered in India: Johnson,
Evolution
, p. 53.

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22
Tiltman career: ibid.; ‘History of Military Sigint’, chap. 1, 9–21; Ralph Erskine and Peter Freeman, ‘Brigadier John Tiltman: One of Britain’s Finest Cryptologists’,
Cryptologia
, 27 (2003), 289.

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23
–9 Tiltman recollections of work in India: Tiltman, ‘Some Reminiscences’ (NACP HCC Nr. 4632).

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24
Details of Sigint operations in India: ‘History of Military Sigint’, chap. 1 (PRO HW 3/90), 9–21, 12–24; Johnson,
Evolution
, p. 53; GC&CS (Naval Section) 1919–1941’ (PRO HW 3/1), 5.

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25
Change of Soviet ciphers: John Ferris, ‘Whitehall’s Black Chamber: British Cryptology and the Government Code and Cypher School’,
Intelligence and National Security
, 2(1) (1987), 73–5.

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26
Cooper recruitment: J. E. S. Cooper, ‘Personal Notes on GC&CS 1925–39’ (PRO HW 3/83), 1.

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27
New sources of Soviet traffic: ibid.

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Move to Broadway: Denniston, ‘History of GC&CS’, 1.

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Co–opting of Metropolitan Police unit: H. C. Kenworthy, ‘A Brief History of Events Relating to the Growth of the “Y” Service’ (PRO HW 3/81), 1; C. L. Sinclair Williams, ‘H. C. Kenworthy’ (unpublished). The latter document makes clear that the unit remained in the attic at Scotland Yard until the mid-thirties. Denniston appears to suggest that the police unit was co-opted almost immediately following the SIS takeover of GC&CS (Denniston, ‘History of GC&CS’, 16). But Kenworthy specifically dates the first contact to the 1926 General Strike.

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30
£2 million Soviet subsidies to miners: [John Curry],
The Security Service
1908–1945:
p. 93.

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31
Daily Mail
transmitter: Kenworthy, ‘A Brief History of Events Relating to the Growth of the “Y” Service’, chap. 1, 1–2.

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32
–2 ARCOS as base for espionage against Britain:
The Security Service 1908–
1945
, pp. 96–8; Nigel West and Oleg Tsarev,
The Crown Jewels: The British Secrets at the Heart of the KGB Archives
(HarperCollins, London, 1998), pp. 29–32; Andrew,
Secret Service
, pp. 463–71.

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33
Chamberlain’s acceptance of need to review relations: Chamberlain to Cunliffe-Lister, confidential letter, 19 January 1927, Chamberlain Papers (PRO FO 800/260).

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Doubts over Cabinet acceptance: Chamberlain to Balfour, private and personal letter, ibid.

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Tehran and Peking cables and breaking of complete additive tables: Cooper, ‘Personal notes on GC&CS 1925–1939’, 1.

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36
Knox beats Maynard Keynes: Penelope Fitzgerald,
The Knox Brothers
(London, Macmillan, 1977), pp. 187–9; work on Zimmermann Telegram: Johnson,
Evolution
, p. 38.

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37
Knox celebration: Fitzgerald,
The Knox Brothers
, pp. 187–9.

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38
ARCOS raid: Andrew,
Secret Service
, pp. 469–71. Warning of impending raid: West and Tsarev,
Crown Jewels
, p. 29.

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39
Sequence of events on Government’s revelations of deciphered Soviet telegrams:
The Times
and the
Daily Telegraph
, 25–27 May 1927.

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40
Change to one-time pad system: Denniston, ‘History of GC&CS’, 6.

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41
Brief period during which the old ciphers continued to be used: Ferris, ‘Whitehall’s Black Chamber’, 73–5.

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42
Denniston on ‘HMG found it necessary’: Denniston, ‘History of GC&CS’, 6.

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43
Tiltman reads Russian OTP: Cooper, ‘Personal Notes on GC&CS 1925–1939’, paras 28, 29.

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44
Comintern role:
The Security Service 1908–1945
, pp. 90–108. See also Jan Valtin,
Out of the Night
(Fortress Books, London, 1988).

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45
First appearance of Comintern transmissions: Kenworthy, ‘A Brief History of Events Relating to the Growth of the “Y” Service’, 5–6.

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46
Denniston on ‘successful work on clandestine traffic’: Denniston, ‘History of GC&CS’, 6.

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47
Tiltman running of Mask and experience in Soviet wireless and cipher practice: Ralph Erskine and Peter Freeman, ‘Brigadier John Tiltman: One of Britain’s Finest Cryptologists’,
Cryptologia
, 27 (2003), 289.

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48
Denniston on the attack on the Comintern ciphers: Denniston, ‘History of GC&CS’, 6.

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49
Make-up of Section V:
The Security Service 1908–1945
, pp. 103–5.

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50
–5 Curry on subjects dealt with in the messages: ibid.

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51
SIS use of deciphered messages to penetrate Comintern: ibid.

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52
Best source within the Comintern was Jonny X (Johann Heinrich de Graf): Michael Smith,
Foley: The Spy Who Saved 10,000 Jews
(Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1999), pp. 51–61;
The Security Service 1908–1945
, pp. 103–5.

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53
Curry on ‘close and fruitful collaboration’ and value of Jonny X:
The
Security Service 1908–1945
, pp. 103–5.

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54
Move to Denmark Hill: Williams, ‘H. C. Kenworthy’. GC&CS accounts of the Metropolitan Police unit normally refer to it as being at Denmark Hill. Sinclair Williams makes clear that it was not until some time in the early 1930s that it moved from Scotland Yard.

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Direction-finding operation: Kenworthy, ‘A Brief History of Events Relating to the Growth of the “Y” Service’, 5–6.

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56
MI5 surveillance operation and names of those involved:
The Security
Service 1908–1945
, pp. 103–5. Curry gives later dates for this operation. He says, for instance, that the station did not begin operating until January 1934. But it is clearly the same operation and the evidence of the GC&CS files on the Mask operation, in particular the index of decrypts in PRO HW 17/80 (Index to Communist Party of Great Britain COMINTERN messages) makes clear that the Wimbledon transmitter was already being intercepted in March 1930.

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Operation to find Wheeton: Kenworthy, ‘A Brief History of Events Relating to the Growth of the “Y” Service’, 5–6.

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Co-operation with French: Tiltman memo to Goodall on Col. Bertrand, 29 May 1974 (PRO HW 25/16), 1.

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–8 Mask operation continues until mid-1937: Moscow to Basle message serials: 29–30. April 1937 (PRO HW 17/35).

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60
Mask operation of great importance to GC&CS: Cooper, ‘Personal Notes on GC&CS 1925–1939’, para. 18.

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61
For Tiltman work in India, see J. H. Tiltman, ‘Some Reminiscences’, 3; for Simla and Sarafand work on Russian military traffic see Robert Louis Benson and Cecil Phillips,
History of Venona
(NSA, Fort Meade, 1995), 1:9.

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62
Work on OGPU: Naval Section Report for 1930 dated 24.3.31. Annex A, ‘Russian Black Sea Naval Ciphers’, Paper 29 (PRO HW 3/1). The Russian Secret Service went through a number of name changes during the twentieth century, of which OGPU was just one. For ease of understanding, the abbreviation KGB will be used throughout.

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63
Clarke unhappy and setting up of naval section: W. F. Clarke, ‘Naval Section of GC&CS’ (PRO HW 3/1), 3–5.

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Use of Sarafand: ibid.

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1927 difficulties: Paper 22. Naval Section Report for 1927 dated 6.1.28 (PRO HW 3/1).

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–9 Clarke tour: Naval Section Report for 1928 dated 25.2.29, Paper 27 (PRO HW 3/1).

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Improvement: Naval Section Report for 1929 dated 27.2.30, Paper 28 (PRO HW 3/1).

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Cooper survey, Titterton returns as Russian interpreter, and concerted effort: Naval Section Report for 1930 dated 24.3.31, Paper 29 (PRO HW 3/1).

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69
Cooper’s report of his Sarafand survey on Russian traffic: attached as Annex A to ibid.

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70
Titterton departure and lack of success: Denniston memo to Rear-Admiral G. C. Dickens DNI, 20 October 1932, Paper 31b (PRO HW 3/1); ‘W. Bodsworth’s Account of the Naval Section 1927–1939’, Paper 91 (PRO HW3/1), 6.

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71
Russian Navy dropped in 1935 because of insufficient staff: ‘Naval Section GC&CS Reorganisation Proposals’ dated 29.6.36. Paper 40 (PRO HW 3/1); ‘Will cryptography be of use in the next war?’ dated 1.9.38, Paper 47 (PRO HW 3/1).

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Tiltman Army Section: Johnson,
Evolution
, p. 53; Estonian material: Air Section GC and CS and the Approach to War 1935–1939. ‘Reminiscences of J. E. S. Cooper June 1949’ (PRO HW 3/83), 4–6.

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Recruitment of P. K. Fetterlein: ibid.

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Creation of Air Section under Cooper and lack of air messages in the Estonian material: ibid.

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–
76
Cooper quotes: ibid., 4–6.

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Titterton return: Naval Section Standing Orders, September 1937, Paper 43 (PRO HW 3/1).

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Home Fleet working on Russian naval traffic: papers placed between items 60 and 60a, detailing ciphers monitored by various RN stations and ships (ibid.).

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Recruitment of Vlasto and another specifically for their Russian skills: Air Section CC&CS and the Approach to War 1935–1939. ‘Reminiscences of J. E. S. Cooper, June 1949’, 11–12.

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Vlasto details:
The Times
, 12 September 2000.

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81
India break into super-enciphered code: Russian Section Report on Work for 1940 (PRO HW 14/11).

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Military Section takes over Russian material: Air Section GC&CS and the Approach to War 1935–1939. ‘Reminiscences of J. E. S. Cooper, June 1949’, 22–23.