Top secret second world war code-breaking centre in Buckinghamshire was the forerunner of GCHQ
It was called the Intelligence Factory: a warren of rooms and offices in which, by the end of the war, thousands of people worked round the clock decoding and processing enemy communications.
By the end of 1945, almost 9,000 people were working three shifts a day at Bletchley. They were billeted with local residents, or housed in specially constructed huts containing rows of camp beds, and fed canteen meals of mince and potatoes or corned beef with prunes.On arrival, all had to sign a document headed “Secrecy”, which instructed them to never talk about their work at meals, on transport or even “by your own fireside”.
An original Hollerith machine that organised and processed data using 2m individual punch cards every week – a job that today’s computer technology could complete in moments – stands in another room. The 24/7 activity was backed up by a gargantuan management operation, with thousands of memos posted on noticeboards. One, dated 16 June 1942, states that “it is NOT permissible to issue second helpings” at mealtimes due to strict rationing. Another, issued on 24 February 1943, advised that “beer will be available daily in Hut 2 between noon and 2pm, and 6pm and 8pm”.