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Series

Government Code and Cypher School: Commercial Section: Reports of Plain Language...

Catalogue reference: HW 29

What's it about?

HW 29

This series comprises summary reports by the Commercial Section of commercial messages originated in enemy and neutral countries. Two notable topics stand out: German efforts to obtain wolfram and iron ore from Spain; and the attempts by Japan to...

Full description and record details

Reference

HW 29

Title
Government Code and Cypher School: Commercial Section: Reports of Plain Language and Public Code Messages
Date

1938-1945

Description

This series comprises summary reports by the Commercial Section of commercial messages originated in enemy and neutral countries. Two notable topics stand out: German efforts to obtain wolfram and iron ore from Spain; and the attempts by Japan to obtain new technology and products from Germany. Reports were initially circulated to the Ministry of Economic Warfare, the Board of Trade, the Information Branch of the Censorship and the three service ministries; other ministries were added later.

Related material

For records of the Ministry of Economic Warfare see FO 837

Separated material

The first reports were largely experimental and have not survived.

Held by
The National Archives, Kew
Former department reference

CS file series

Legal status

Public Record(s)

Language

English and French

Creator(s)
Government Code and Cypher School, Commercial Section, 1938-1945
Physical description

329 file(s)

Access conditions

Open

Immediate source of acquisition

In 2000-2004 Government Communications Headquarters

Subjects
Topics
Trade and commerce
Asia
Europe and Russia
Intelligence
Iron, steel and metals
Accumulation dates

1938 to 1945

Accruals

Series is not accruing

Selection and destruction information

All surviving messages from the outbreak of the war have been preserved.

Administrative / biographical background

The Commercial Section was set up in 1938. It moved location four times: from London to Bletchley at the outbreak of war and back to London in 1939, because of pressure on space at Station X; in September 1940 to a house some miles from Bletchley; and back to London in May 1942 as part of the Civil Branch of the school. The section was closed down in August 1945.

Record URL
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C15451/

Catalogue hierarchy

Over 27 million records

This record is held at The National Archives, Kew

17,110 records

Within the department: HW

Records created or inherited by Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ)

You are currently looking at the series: HW 29

Government Code and Cypher School: Commercial Section: Reports of Plain Language and Public Code Messages

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