Government Code and Cypher School and Government Communications Headquarters: Records...

HW 50

1914-1954

This series contains records produced during the production of the History of British Signals Intelligence in World War II (now preserved in HW 11). These working papers cover all aspects of the work carried out at Bletchley Park, as well as intercept stations, overseas units and liaison with wartime allies, and include notes of consultations with former members of staff of the Government Code and Cypher School.

The histories written following this work are in HW 11

Public Record(s)

English

• Government Code and Cypher School, 1919-1946
• Government Communications Headquarters, 1946-1946

95 files and volumes

Open unless otherwise stated

from 2004 Government Communications Headquarters

Topics

Conflict

Intelligence

Operations, battles and campaigns

1945 to 1954

Series is accruing

Selected under acquisition policy criterion 2.2.1.3, showing the methods used to compile the history of British Signals Intelligence during the Second World War. Working papers of the historians that throw light on the activities of GC&CS during the war selected, ephemeral and duplicate papers not selected.

In September 1945 a group of Government Code and Cypher School experts, headed by Frank Birch, were brought together to write internal histories of the British signals intelligence effort during World War II. The experts were given full access to the records produced during the war, and consulted former colleagues on aspects of the work.