Further Info...

The majority of research about Bletchley Park centres on the code breaking efforts during World War II. Work at the Park laid the foundation for today's modern computers.

Most certainly, the Park is rich in telecoms history...

Photo: A replica 'England Expects' office setting © LSA.

Introduction

In the 1940s, the covert activities at Bletchley Park were said to have shortened the war by several years as well as forming the foundations of modern communications. The following books and documentaries aim to reveal just some of the secrets of The Park and its people.

Books

				Just a few of the books available about Bletchley Park and its people.

There are many books available, but an easy to read and well illustrated summary of both the history and preservation of the Park up to the end of the 1990s is Ted Enever's:- "Britain's Best Kept Secret"- Ultra's Base at Bletchley Park. This revised edition moves the story on from 1994 to events up to 1999.

Bletchley Park P E O P L E by Marion Hill tells the story of the Park in great detail and is packed with recollections from civilians, servicemen and women who all played a vital role in the war effort.

Harold 'Doc' Keen and the Bletchley Park BOMBE. Code name CANTAB by John Keen. "It took an engineer of Keen's outstanding ability to translate that design (the code-breaking ideas of Alan Turing ) into a workable machine. The 'Bombe' a huge device with tens of thousands of separate parts, and 50,000 terminals for four miles of wiring."

Books and Guides

		Bletchley Park: Guidebook and Demistyfying the Bombe.

	The GPO and Bletchley Park: This 84-page photobook delves into the many GPO connections with the Park, past and present, tracing the remnants of the buildings and the rebuilds of the wartime machines. Profits from the sale will be donated to The National Museum of Computing.

Web Links

Visit the official site of the Bletchley Park Trust on-line.
Learn about Codes and Ciphers in the Second World War-The Website for the history, science and engineering of cryptanalysis in World War II-created by Tony Sale.
The National Museum of Computing - The world’s first purpose built computer centre (where the code-breaking Colossus is based) is now home to The National Museum of Computing. Our Mission: "To collect and restore computer systems developed primarily in Britain and to enable people to explore that collection for inspiration, learning and enjoyment."
Garat's HaY -Home to the "Y" (Wireless Intercept) Services - An essential link in the code-breaking chain.
The Turing Welchman Bombe Rebuild Project by John Harper-everything you need to know about the Bombes.
Bletchley Park Navaids - Nick B's photos on Flickr of when the CAA was still in the Park in 1989.
World War Two Memories Project -If you have recollections of WWII, this site would like to hear from you.
Letchworth Garden City - Heritage Foundation
Heritage Gateway - A search facility including that for the on-line database of the National Monuments Record which is the public archive of English Heritage.
Historic England - The National Heritage List for England (NHLE).
Old-Maps.co.uk - To research historic maps of your location.

Film

		Enigma (2001) "Whirls with passion, murder, femmes fatales & espionage!" Barbara Ellen -The Times. The Imitation Game (2014) with Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing.

TV

In 1999 'The Story of Bletchley Park' was told in four parts and screened on Channel 4 in the UK.

The keys to the Reich
The goose that laid the golden eggs.
The ultra secret.
The war of the machines.

In recent years there have been several other documentaries about The Park and its people.

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