Bletchley Park's Secret Source: Churchill's Wrens and the Y Service in World War II
The World War II codebreaking station at Bletchley is well known and its activities documented in detail. Its decryption capabilities were vital to the war effort, significantly aiding Allied victory. But where did the messages being deciphered come from in the first place?

This is the extraordinary untold story of the Y-Service, a secret even more closely guarded than Bletchley Park. The Y-Service was the code for the chain of wireless intercept stations around Britain and all over the world. Hundreds of wireless operators, many of them who were civilians, listened to German, Italian and Japanese radio networks and meticulously logged everything they heard. Some messages were then used tactically but most were sent on to Station X – Bletchley Park – where they were deciphered, translated and consolidated to build a comprehensive overview of the enemy’s movements and intentions.

Peter Hore delves into the fascinating history of the Y-service, with particular reference to the girls of the Women’s Royal Naval Service: Wrens who escaped from Singapore to Colombo as the war raged, only to be torpedoed in the Atlantic on their way back to Britain; the woman who had a devastatingly true premonition that disaster would strike on her way to Gibraltar; the Australian who went from being captain of the English Women’s Cricket team to a WWII Wren to the head of Abbotleigh girls school in Sydney; how the Y-service helped to hunt the German battleship Bismarck in the North Atlantic, and how it helped to torpedo a Japanese cruiser in the Indian Ocean. Together, these incredible stories build a picture of World War II as it has never been viewed before.
1139070053
Bletchley Park's Secret Source: Churchill's Wrens and the Y Service in World War II
The World War II codebreaking station at Bletchley is well known and its activities documented in detail. Its decryption capabilities were vital to the war effort, significantly aiding Allied victory. But where did the messages being deciphered come from in the first place?

This is the extraordinary untold story of the Y-Service, a secret even more closely guarded than Bletchley Park. The Y-Service was the code for the chain of wireless intercept stations around Britain and all over the world. Hundreds of wireless operators, many of them who were civilians, listened to German, Italian and Japanese radio networks and meticulously logged everything they heard. Some messages were then used tactically but most were sent on to Station X – Bletchley Park – where they were deciphered, translated and consolidated to build a comprehensive overview of the enemy’s movements and intentions.

Peter Hore delves into the fascinating history of the Y-service, with particular reference to the girls of the Women’s Royal Naval Service: Wrens who escaped from Singapore to Colombo as the war raged, only to be torpedoed in the Atlantic on their way back to Britain; the woman who had a devastatingly true premonition that disaster would strike on her way to Gibraltar; the Australian who went from being captain of the English Women’s Cricket team to a WWII Wren to the head of Abbotleigh girls school in Sydney; how the Y-service helped to hunt the German battleship Bismarck in the North Atlantic, and how it helped to torpedo a Japanese cruiser in the Indian Ocean. Together, these incredible stories build a picture of World War II as it has never been viewed before.
34.95 In Stock
Bletchley Park's Secret Source: Churchill's Wrens and the Y Service in World War II

Bletchley Park's Secret Source: Churchill's Wrens and the Y Service in World War II

by Peter Hore
Bletchley Park's Secret Source: Churchill's Wrens and the Y Service in World War II

Bletchley Park's Secret Source: Churchill's Wrens and the Y Service in World War II

by Peter Hore

Hardcover

(Not eligible for purchase using B&N Audiobooks Subscription credits)
$34.95 
  • SHIP THIS ITEM
    In stock. Ships in 3-7 days. Typically arrives in 3 weeks.
  • PICK UP IN STORE

    Your local store may have stock of this item.

Related collections and offers


Overview

The World War II codebreaking station at Bletchley is well known and its activities documented in detail. Its decryption capabilities were vital to the war effort, significantly aiding Allied victory. But where did the messages being deciphered come from in the first place?

This is the extraordinary untold story of the Y-Service, a secret even more closely guarded than Bletchley Park. The Y-Service was the code for the chain of wireless intercept stations around Britain and all over the world. Hundreds of wireless operators, many of them who were civilians, listened to German, Italian and Japanese radio networks and meticulously logged everything they heard. Some messages were then used tactically but most were sent on to Station X – Bletchley Park – where they were deciphered, translated and consolidated to build a comprehensive overview of the enemy’s movements and intentions.

Peter Hore delves into the fascinating history of the Y-service, with particular reference to the girls of the Women’s Royal Naval Service: Wrens who escaped from Singapore to Colombo as the war raged, only to be torpedoed in the Atlantic on their way back to Britain; the woman who had a devastatingly true premonition that disaster would strike on her way to Gibraltar; the Australian who went from being captain of the English Women’s Cricket team to a WWII Wren to the head of Abbotleigh girls school in Sydney; how the Y-service helped to hunt the German battleship Bismarck in the North Atlantic, and how it helped to torpedo a Japanese cruiser in the Indian Ocean. Together, these incredible stories build a picture of World War II as it has never been viewed before.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781784385811
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Publication date: 03/26/2021
Pages: 240
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

CAPTAIN PETER HORE, RN, now retired, is a former Head of Defence Studies for the Royal Navy. He is the author of numerous books, and is currently Associate Editor of Warships: International Fleet Review. He is also a fellow of the Royal Historical Society and Vice President of the Royal Naval Museum. He has recently edited Nelson's Band of Brothers and written a biography of Henry Harwood, victor at the battle of the River Plate, both published by Seaforth.

Table of Contents

List of Plates vii

Preface ix

Glossary xiii

Chapter 1 The Wireless War 1

Chapter 2 The First Stations 16

Chapter 3 Freddie's Fairies 31

Chapter 4 HMS Westcott 39

Chapter 5 Recruitment, Training and Uniforms 43

Chapter 6 Developing the Network 55

Chapter 7 The OIC and the Y Intelligence Centres 71

Chapter 8 Scarborough, Flowerdown and 'Noises' 75

Chapter 9 Battle for the Narrow Seas 87

Chapter 10 Passage to the East 93

Chapter 11 Winning the Big Battles 103

Chapter 12 Nightmare Convoy 113

Chapter 13 The Channel Dash 118

Chapter 14 Better Training But Trouble with Men 124

Chapter 15 The Empress of Canada 131

Chapter 16 The Mediterranean, 1943-1944 144

Chapter 17 D-Day and the End in Europe 150

Chapter 18 Last Acts in the East 162

Chapter 19 'We All Loved Our Part' 169

Notes 173

References 193

Index 202

From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews