Locking a Stable Door: when Enigma in 1941 was published

Discussion in 'Top Secret' started by davidbfpo, Apr 11, 2022.

  1. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    Another gem from Tony Comer, ex-GCHQ historian: Sigint Historian: Locking a Stable Door

    A British staff officer, Major Gribble wrote and in March 1941 had a publisher for his 'Diary of a Staff Officer', having served in the GHQ intelligence section. A story was also published in a UK newspaper before official intervention. The offending text is published in Tony's story.

    From this "near miss" ULTRA was born:
     
    Chris C likes this.
  2. Andreas

    Andreas Working on two books

    Fascinating, albeit not unique.

    The Afrika-Korps war diary for Operation CRUSADER (written up after the operation) has a note that certain suspicions about British command intent were later confirmed by messages from the US Ambassador in Cairo (actually Col. Bonner Fellers). The fact that the US code had been cracked was supposed to be top-secret.

    The Good Source – Axis access to US Army Communications

    You also see obvious misuse of intel by operational commands, such as laying on air attacks right when ships arrive or were supposed to arrive.

    Protecting ULTRA – Must try harder?

    Finally, document handling could also be improved, I have held some notes stamped "to be destroyed within 48 hours after receipt", which were duly filed with the war diary, and ended up in Kew, 80 years on.

    All the best

    Andreas
     
    Chris C likes this.
  3. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    Andreas,

    I have read elsewhere an article on the US Military Attache in Cairo's reporting being intercepted, it is in the archive so may take time to relocate.
     
  4. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

  5. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    Cheers Rich,

    I normally check here when composing a post, this time I didn't. Jerry Murland has not logged on for two years, so may not know about the update. In a moment I will PM him.
     
    Rich Payne likes this.
  6. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive


    I only found the WW2t link by Googling when I read your post ! It's odd now that I think about it, but Jerry has disappeared right off the scene !
     

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