Bletchley Park

April 2014 Margaret Reardon, ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service), Royal Signals, recalls her time listening to enemy radio messages on the Isle of Man during World War Two. You can hear more from Margaret in the next episode of The Bletchley Park Podcast, out on the 10th of April. #BPark, #Bletchleypark, #ww2veteran, #enigma

March 2014 Captain Jerry Roberts MBE, one of Bletchley Park’s last Codebreakers, died this week at the age of 93. Jerry was one of the original members of The Testery working on cracking Tunny, the German High Commands code, used by Hitler & his top Generals. Their work warned the Russian’s of The Kursk Offensive, allowing them to defend until the Germans called off, what would be their last major offensive on the Eastern Front. Winston Churchill said “Stalingrad was the end of the beginning, but the Battle of Kursk was the beginning of the end”. In this Bletchley Park Podcast Extra, we bring you the interview we recorded at Jerry’s home, in February 2013 after being awarded an MBE. It is followed a short interview Katherine recorded on the day he received his MBE from Her Majesty The Queen. Sir John Scarlett KCMG OBE, Chairman, Bletchley Park Trust, paying tribute to Jerry said: “Captain Jerry Roberts MBE was a true gentleman and - to the last days of his long l

March 2014 Children’s TV presenters Dick & Dom came to Bletchley Park to film a programme about Alan Turing. Absolute Genius with Dick & Dom will be on CBBC on the 12th March. We caught a quick word with them between takes. Battlefield History TV is making a fascinating documentary about the Bletchley Park story which will soon be available on DVD. We bring you a taste of what will be in the finished programme with Iain Standen interviewing Veteran Bombe Wren Sue Winn & Bletchley Park Historian Joel Greenberg talking about his new biography of Gordon Welchman, Bletchley Park’s Architect of Ultra Intelligence. The official histories of Huts 3 & 6 were written shortly after the war was won by the actual people who worked in them during WW2. Historian & founding member of the Bletchley Park Trust, Peter Wescombe, gives an insight into the minds of ordinary men & women doing extraordinary jobs. We take you back to February 1941 as actors brought the mansion to lif

February 2014 This is the full length version* of our exclusive interview with Sarah Harding, Director of the second two-part story in series two of the hit ITV drama, The Bletchley Circle. In this month’s Bletchley Park Podcast & the first part of this EXTRA Sarah tells us about her mother, Dorothy Harding (nee Thompson) who was a Wireless Operator / Morse slip reader at Bletchley Park 1943-1945. It was a happy coincidence that Sarah had that personal connection to Bletchley Park when The Bletchley Circle script landed on her desk. Sarah has had a long and distinguished career directing theatre, film & TV dramas including Coronation Street, Queer as Folk and Agatha Christie’s Marple & Poirot, to list just a few. We talk about her life behind the camera & how the service given by Veterans such as her mother led to her generation having the freedom to pursue such careers. Now, her mother has enjoyed the series & hopes “she will smile, feel recognised and proud.”

February 2014 This month we join Bletchley Park Veteran Margaret Roland as she was asked to be the special guest at a ceremony to mark the completion of refurbishment work at White Spire School in Bletchley. We take you behind the scenes at rehearsals for February half term’s exciting Living History project, where Sorrel Meechan, one of the actors helping bring the buildings to life, tells us about her personal connection to the Bletchley Park having grown up knowing her grandfather worked as a Bombe Maintainer during World War Two. Hear the intriguing – and entirely coincidental – family connection Sarah Harding, the Director of the hit ITV drama, The Bletchley Circle had with the Home of the Codebreakers as her mother Dorothy Harding, nee Thompson, was a Wireless Operator & Morse slip reader at Bletchley Park. Michael Portillo, former Defence Secretary turned TV presenter came to Bletchley Park for an episode of Great British Railway Journeys. Between takes he

January 2014 In this episode we bring you the entire interview we recorded with Veteran Wren Bombe Operator, Audrey Wind, who recalls how she was plucked from filthy cleaning jobs in basic training & recruited to do a very, very secret job. Audrey was posted to Eastcote, an outstation of Bletchley Park, where she operated Bombe machines. She says “The pressure was enormous. It took me a long time after the war to get over it and I’m sure it did for everyone. It was terribly stressful.” Audrey’s story will be featured as a DVD extra, when the second series of the hit ITV drama, The Bletchley Circle is released. Image ®ITV #BPark, #BletchleyPark, #Enigma, #ITV, #TheBletchleyCircle, #ladynerds, #audiowrangler, #mcfontaine

January 2014 This month we take you exclusively behind the scenes during filming of The Bletchley Circle, hearing from the Producer, Standby Art Director & Bletchley Park Trust staff who were cast as supporting actors, to safeguard machines which belong to GCHQ. We hear from Veteran Audrey Wind, whose story is featured as a DVD extra, who was told when she was recruited: “You must not mention this conversation to any living person.” Years after the war, she was spotted by a fellow alumnus of Bletchley Park & the secrecy they shared caused all sorts of suspicion about their relationship. This month’s Podcast also lets you in on the plans for the fragile wooden huts being restored as part of the £8m, Heritage Lottery Funded restoration, with details of how their stories will be told. Hear about how actors will bring Bletchley Park to life with the Living History Project. Liv Spencer tells us what she will be looking for during the auditions. Picture ©mcfontaine

December 2013 In this EXTRA episode we look back at what turned into another busy year at Bletchley Park, but also ahead to the return of the ITV drama The Bletchley Circle. The thrilling series based on the lives of four extraordinary & brilliant women who worked at Bletchley Park during WW2 returns to UK screens on ITV for a four-part series starting on Monday 6th of January 2014. Over the next few Podcasts & EXTRA episodes we will be bringing you exclusive interviews with the cast & crew, to give you a unique look behind the scenes that you will find nowhere else. To start us off we bring you interviews we recorded at the official Press Screening with three of the stars of the series, Rachael Stirling, Julie Graham & Hattie Morahan, who were joined by Executive Producer, Jake Lushington & series Writer & Creator, Guy Burt. Bletchley Circle image ®ITV #BPark, #BletchleyPark, #Enigma, #ITV, #TheBletchleyCircle, #ladynerds, #audiowrangler, #mcfontaine

December 2013 This month, we join Bletchley Park historian Dr Joel Greenberg & AS Level history students from Milton Keynes College as they discover hidden treasures under The Mansion car park. Footings of what the Bletchley Park Trust believes were the first few wooden huts built at the outbreak of World War Two were found when the tarmac was removed. We find out what happened at a specially set-up monitoring station in the National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park, when AMSAT-UK launched FUNcube-1, a 10cm cubed satellite weighing less than a kilogram, over Russia. We have an exclusive interview with Professor’s Barry Cooper & Jack Copeland who spoke about some of the lesser known heroes of Bletchley Park at the day of sold-out talks, Codebreakers’ Legacy. They talk about the continuing interest in Alan Turing & what also what they think about the forthcoming film of his life. Yet again we have the honour of interviewing one of our Veterans. Cynthia Legge (nee Mou

December 2013 In this month’s Bletchley Park Podcast we brought you some highlights of the day we spent with two amazing Veterans, Norah Boswell, a Wren Bombe Operator who was stationed at Stanmore & Joyce Roberts, a WAAF Teleprinter Operator at Bletchley Park. In this extended version join tour guide Mike Chapman as we roll back 70 years for these two amazing ladies & listen in as Norah gets her revenge on The Bombe & Joyce finds a dear old friend in the Hut she worked in. It is times like this that make producing the Bletchley Park Podcast such an honour. #BPark, #BletchleyPark, #Bombe, #Enigma, #Veterans, #audiowrangler, #mcfontaine

November 2013 In October Cyber Security Challenge UK & Raytheon held an event called Today, Then & Tomorrow. It looked at the role of women in cyber security, celebrating the Bletchley Park Veterans, leading figures of today & a look into the future. Here is a flavour of the day featuring Natalie Black, Stephanie Daman, Baroness Pauline Neville-Jones, Dr Brooke Hoskins, Clare McBrearty, Lucy Robson & Bletchley Park Podcast’s, very own, Kerry Howard. #BPark, #Bletchleypark, #cybersecurity, #thentodaytomorrow, #Raytheon, #CyberChallenge, #mcfontaine

November 2013 Mavis Batey, one of Bletchley Park’s leading female Codebreakers, died this week at the age of 92. Mavis’s work on Enigma was crucial to the Royal Navy’s victory at Matapan in 1941 and the success of the D-Day landings in 1944. She was part of Dilly Knox’s team, working on as-yet unbroken codes and ciphers. In this Bletchley Park Podcast Extra, we can hear her chatting with Bletchley Park historian and author Michael Smith. Many thanks to Michael Smith, Matt Rawlinson & The Open University for allowing us to share this with you. #bletchleypark, #bpark, #enigma, #ww2

November 2013 This month, with so much happening at Bletchley Park recently, we have to bring you an extended episode. First we grab Hard-Hats & Hi Viz Jackets to join Conservation Architect Janie Price & Site Manager Rob Davies to get an in-depth update on the HLF Restoration of Bletchley Park, from floorboards to granite floors, via the roof. In October Bletchley Park hosted Are You Listening? The event looked at the history of communications. We spoke to members of Milton Keynes Amateur Radio Society, the British Vintage Wireless Society & the Vintage & Military Amateur Radio Society. Also in October Cyber Security Challenge UK & Raytheon held an event called Today, Then and Tomorrow. It looked at the role of women in cyber security, celebrating the Bletchley Park Veterans, leading figures of today & a look into the future. Katherine spoke to Natalie Black of the Cabinet Office, after we found out just what her job title was. We will bring you the rest of this fascinatin

October 2013 This month we talk to actor Simon Callow, who was filming in Alan Turing’s office in Hut 8 & we discover a secret about his university tutor. Architect Janie Price, brings us a short update on the HLF Restoration of Bletchley Park; where they are looking at floorboards … one by one. Then join Bombe Wrens as they are transported back in time when they see Hut 11 restored to its WW2 atmosphere. Veterans, Ruth Bourne & Joan Tolson tell us what it was like to work on a Bombe Machine & we luckily capture a short story from Bletchley Baby, Josephine Ross. Pictures ©mubsta.com & mcfontaine #BPark, #BletchleyPark, #SimonCallow, #Turing, #Enigma, #Bombe

September 2013 Earlier in the year we interviewed some of the original members of The Bletchley Park Trust who gave us an insight into how they started to save Bletchley Park. In this episode we bring you an interview with Doreen Sawyer, the lady, that original trust member Peter Wescombe climbed through the fence to speak to, and that started the ball rolling. Doreen worked at Bletchley Park from 1955 for the CAA and she tells us some of the post war history of the park and about organising the very first Enigma Reunion. Special thanks to BBC 3 Counties Radio for use of their studios to record the interview. Image ©Elle Dunn - http://www.elledunn.com/ #Bletchleypark, #BPark, #Enigma, #CAA

September 2013 This month stories from 70 years ago are given a modern twist. The New Enigma event was a chance to find out if you have what it takes to be a Codebreaker, with experts from GCHQ telling us about some truly amazing new technology, which might just confuse a certain podcast producer. Rich storytelling is the key to enjoying a visit to Bletchley Park. Now included in the admission price, as well as a guided tour by a passionate historian, every visitor can take an iPod Touch based Multimedia Guided tour, created by ATS Heritage & our own experts. We take you along to the official launch where we put them to the test with visitors aged from six to eighty six. The Budd twins and their younger brother had a unique childhood, as they lived at Bletchley Park during WW2. We join all three of them as they come back for a visit. Each year we hold the Enigma Reunion for our Veterans. This year some of them were given a sneak peek at what will be the first of our new restoration exhibit

August 2013 In this episode we bring you the full interview with former Bletchley Park Code Breaker & Director of GCHQ, Sir Arthur Bonsall. He explains the work he carried out in the German Air Section at Bletchley Park, dispels a few BP Myths & tells us why there was a stone for Winston Churchill to stand on when he visited in 1941. Picture: ©Kate Arkless Gray (@RadioKate) #BPark, #Enigma, #GCHQ, #audiowk

August 2013 It’s all about the past & the future this month. Former Bletchley Park Code Breaker & Director of GCHQ, Sir Arthur Bonsall, tells us why there was a stone for Winston Churchill to stand on when he visited in 1941. We talk to science & technology presenter Maggie Philbin about Bletchley Park, her mother’s wartime work & the legacy that war brings to modern tech. Kerry Howard tells us about her research into code breaker Margaret Rock for her new book Dear Codebreaker & the freedom of modern publishing. Also we give you some ideas of how to entertain your own Spy Kids during the summer holidays with the new workshops available at our Family Fun Wednesdays. For more information about Kerry’s book go to http://www.dearcodebreaker.com or http://www.bletchleyparkresearch.co.uk Picture: ©Kate Arkless Gray (@RadioKate) #BPark, #Enigma, #CaptainRidley

July 2013 In February this year Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cornwall paid a visit to Bletchley Park to have afternoon tea with around 60 of our lady Veterans. One of those Veterans that I had the pleasure to interview at the time was former WRN Betty Flavell. Her son Tony, who was with her on the day, has recently been in touch to tell us the sad news that Betty unfortunately passed away in June this year. Tony told me that the visit to Bletchley Park was the last time Betty ventured out in the car with him and although it was very tiring day for her, she had a wonderful time. So as a tribute to Betty we are again going to share with you the wonderful interview I had the honour to record with her. Many thanks to http://www.mubsta.com/ for the use of the pictures of Betty. #Bletchleypark, #Bpark, #Enigma

July 2013 This month it’s all about Timely Visitors Milton Keynes South MP & long time Bletchley Park supporter, Iain Stewart goes on a Hard Hat Tour to see some of the Heritage Lottery Funded restoration with the trusts CEO Iain Standen. Then a few days later it was announced that former Bletchley Park Trust director Simon Greenish had been awarded an MBE for services to English heritage in the Queen's Birthday Honours list. We took Simon on his first tour of the restoration work that he had been fundamental in planning. We also give you a taste of the Black Tie, Bremont Codebreaker Watch Launch. We have interviews with two of our amazing Veterans, Jean Valentine and Ruth Bourne. Bremont founders Nick and Giles English tell us why they wanted to celebrate the home of the codebreakers and The Three Belles keep us swinging. For more information about Bremont go to http://www.bremont.com/ For more information about The Three Belles go to http://thethreebelles.com/ Picture: ©shaunarms