http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/sigint/aswg.htm The function of the ASWG was to:- - Intercept enemy wireless transmission - Monitor Allied wireless transmissions A small group of signalmen were gathered together to establish No. 1 Special Wireless Section at Seymour in Victoria under the command of Captain Jack Ryan on 19 June 1940. They subsequently changed their name to No 4 Australian Special Wireless Section was formed at Seymour . After some initial training they left Sydney in late December 1940. They served in Egypt and after some more training moved to Greece where they monitored German and Italian messages. Despite many successful intercepts, the Germans started to take more ground and eventually No. 4 Special Wireless Section was ordered to withdraw from Sphakia. After a 65kms rugged trek they boarded a commando assault ship, the "Glengyle". The section went on to take part in the Syrian campaign monitoring Vichy French messages. When Australia had declared war on Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, the section started to learn the Japanese Kana Code. Staff from the British Sigint base at Sarafand assisted with training in Japanese intercept procedures. The section boarded the British transport ship "Mendoza" and on arrival in Colombo they transferred to the "Orcades" which returned them to Australia. Brigadier Simpson, the Chief Signals Officer was also on board the "Orcades". During the voyage he developed the model for the Australian Army's Sigint organisation.
Spidge, I have few details, but back in 1998 we were driving on the Barkly Highway from '3 Ways' to Mt Isa. About that time the NT Government had identified and marked as many as possible of the old WW2 sites. On this, the loneliest trip in Australia, we came upon a large sign commemorating a CANADIAN wireless interception unit that spent about a year in the scrub intercepting jap wireless transmissions. From memory it was only a small unit of about platoon size, and I think they may have been warmer than back home. ;-) John.
I can not understand why my uncle was not cooerced into joining that unit - maybe he was asked and declined, I don't know. He left the RAN in 1939 as a Leading Telegraphist, as soon as war was declared jumped into the army and was made a Sergeant instructor in signals and stayed at Rockbank Vic for the duration. Clever chap. David
I can not understand why my uncle was not cooerced into joining that unit - maybe he was asked and declined, I don't know. He left the RAN in 1939 as a Leading Telegraphist, as soon as war was declared jumped into the army and was made a Sergeant instructor in signals and stayed at Rockbank Vic for the duration. Clever chap. David Nice little pub there. Why would he want to leave! Cheers Geoff
My father in law served in the Royal Signals between 1940 - 1946. Henry Francis Eden No. 2355569 5.11.43 disembarked Sydney ex "Mariposa" on loan from India for a period of 2 to 6 months for attachment to 1 Aust. Special. Wireless Group Talinga I can recall him telling me that at one time his group were the only armed soldiers between the entire Japanese Navy and the population of Australia. His signals group were getting very nervous in a tent in Northern Australia tracking the Japanese fleet who at the time were headed straight for Oz but turned left and headed for the pacific Islands instead. The Australian Special Signals webpage Australian Special Wireless Group, AIF, Australian Army in Australia during WW2 confirms that the operations centre at Kalinga (its typed as Talinga on his war record, obviously miss read by the typist) was a tent surrounded by barbed wire so this is coming together nicely. If anyone has anything else they can add I would be grateful for all information. Thanks Mike
Another old thread getting resurrected.... Funeral notice popped up on FB today for an ex-RAAF member who served with WW2 SIGINT - I regret to inform all of the passing of John Ashton Morse (Jack) Bleakley, Acting Sergeant 1 Wireless and 5 Wireless Units, RAAF, who died on the 31st of January a few days after a severe stroke, aged 94. Although his service record merely records him as "telegraphist", Jack was, in fact, one of the few Australian and American Katakana (KANA) operatives whose duty it was to intercept, record and decode Japanese radio transmissions. Jack served operationally at Townsville, Port Moresby, Nadzab, Biak and Manilla. Although most Australian histories ignore these units, and most report that Australians in the Pacific were fighting in the backwaters of the war in 1945 (being NG, Bougainville and Borneo), Jack was very proud of the fact that as a member of MacArthur's HQ, he and his unit assisted in the liberation of the Philippines. Among their many achievements was the interception and recording of Admiral Yamamoto's flight itinerary that led to the interception and shooting down of Yamamoto's plane by USAAC P38 Lightnings. It was said that the death of Yamamoto shortened the war by up to two years. Jack's book, The Eavesdroppers, published in 1991, is compulsory reading for those interested in the secret war. He was in the process of reviewing a second edition at the time of his death. Jack, although a forceful and interesting speaker, was a quiet, reserved gentleman who continued to support his service comrades until the end of his life. He will be missed by his few remaining comrades and all those who knew him. His funeral is on Friday 5 February 2016 at 1030, at St Barnabas' Anglican Church 86 Balwyn Rd Balwyn VIC. This thread mentions Bleakley but it is for Weakley - maybe Spidge got the two transposed in his response. http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/48064-australian-cryptographic-and-cypher-sections-wwii/
