Gwen Watkins served at Bletchley Park in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force.
"Naval Intelliegence Professional Quarterly""Most Naval
Intelligence Professionals - even those particularly interested in
codebreaking - would probably avoid a book on breaking Luftwaffe
codes. In this instance that would be a great mistake...there have
been scores of books recounting the British codebreaking activities
during World War II at BletchleyPark, a private estate some 50
miles north of London. But "Cracking the Luftwaffe Codes" is
different. It is the personal account of Miss Gwen Davies who, as
an 18-year-old sergeant in the Royal Air Force WAAF (Women's
Auxiliary Air Force), was ordered to Bletchley Park in the summer
of 1942...We are told about the process and procedure for cracking
the German Air Force codes. But more interesting to this reviewer
is the author's descriptions of the people with whom she worked,
the famous 'huts' in which the codebreakers worked, their
accommodations (in private homes and then in barracks), their
social life, and, especially, their food. The appendix 'Food at
Bletchley' is particularly fascinating, and gives lie to the
popular novel Enigma by Robert Harris (1995), which claimed to be
an accurate view of the workings and culinary privations of
Bletchley Park.
"Miss Davies had an excellent memory for words and a gift for
languages, making her a useful participant in the codebreaking
effort. She was one of thousands of British and American
codebreakers who made contributions to the Allied victory in World
War II - often one word at a time."
"WWII History Magazine, " January 2007"Written by a member of the
cryptographic staff at the British codebreaking center at Bletchley
Park, this eminently fascinating inside story is an account of the
many diverse personalities involved in the complex, highly
classified operation and the invaluable service they performed for
the Allies. It was not until 1974 that Bletchley Park's activities
were even detailed for the public."The author, then a sergeant in
the British Women's Auxiliary Air Force, brings to life the reality
of the German Air Section at BP, as the center was known, the
first-ever account of this crucial department. In a highly
informative and lyrical account, she details her eventful
interview, her eventual appointment at the 'biggest lunatic asylum
in Britain," methods empoloyed to crack the maddeningly difficult
codes, the day-to-day operations at the center, and the
decommisssioning of her section at war's end.""Cracking the
Luftwaffe Codes" is much more readable than Leo Mark's "Between
Silk and Cyanide", which told basically the same story, but not as
well. Watkins' tale is thoroughly enjoyable from start to
finish."
"Any reader seeking information on the top secret technology of
cracking ciphers in WW2 had best look elsewhere. This delightful
read is more of a social history of the British at war and a social
commentary of the times than actual dramatic code cracking. The
compartmentalization of the various sections at BP is emphasized as
well as the seemingly pointless sifting of intercepted enemy radio
traffic." -- Sid Wigzell
Cryptologia, "February 2007"Watkins has written an interesting book
that should appeal to anyone interested in World War II,
code-breaking, or simply looking for a good-read."
"Naval Intelliegence Professional Quarterly" "Most Naval
Intelligence Professionals - even those particularly interested in
codebreaking - would probably avoid a book on breaking Luftwaffe
codes. In this instance that would be a great mistake...there have
been scores of books recounting the British codebreaking activities
during World War II at BletchleyPark, a private estate some 50
miles north of London. But "Cracking the Luftwaffe Codes" is
different. It is the personal account of Miss Gwen Davies who, as
an 18-year-old sergeant in the Royal Air Force WAAF (Women's
Auxiliary Air Force), was ordered to Bletchley Park in the summer
of 1942...We are told about the process and procedure for cracking
the German Air Force codes. But more interesting to this reviewer
is the author's descriptions of the people with whom she worked,
the famous 'huts' in which the codebreakers worked, their
accommodations (in private homes and then in barracks), their
social life, and, especially, their food. The appendix 'Food at
Bletchley' is particularly fascinating, and gives lie to the
popular novel Enigma by Robert Harris (1995), which claimed to be
an accurate view of the workings and culinary privations of
Bletchley Park.
"Miss Davies had an excellent memory for words and a gift for
languages, making her a useful participant in the codebreaking
effort. She was one of thousands of British and American
codebreakers who made contributions to the Allied victory in World
War II - often one word at a time."
"WWII History Magazine," January 2007 "Written by a member of the
cryptographic staff at the British codebreaking center at Bletchley
Park, this eminently fascinating inside story is an account of the
many diverse personalities involved in the complex, highly
classified operation and the invaluable service they performed for
the Allies. It was not until 1974 that Bletchley Park's activities
were even detailed for the public. "The author, then a sergeant in
the British Women's Auxiliary Air Force, brings to life the reality
of the German Air Section at BP, as the center was known, the
first-ever account of this crucial department. In a highly
informative and lyrical account, she details her eventful
interview, her eventual appointment at the 'biggest lunatic asylum
in Britain," methods empoloyed to crack the maddeningly difficult
codes, the day-to-day operations at the center, and the
decommisssioning of her section at war's end. ""Cracking the
Luftwaffe Codes" is much more readable than Leo Mark's "Between
Silk and Cyanide," which told basically the same story, but not as
well. Watkins' tale is thoroughly enjoyable from start to
finish."
" Any reader seeking information on the top secret technology of
cracking ciphers in WW2 had best look elsewhere. This delightful
read is more of a social history of the British at war and a social
commentary of the times than actual dramatic code cracking. The
compartmentalization of the various sections at BP is emphasized as
well as the seemingly pointless sifting of intercepted enemy radio
traffic." -- Sid Wigzell
Cryptologia, "February 2007
" Watkins has written an interesting book that should appeal to
anyone interested in World War II, code-breaking, or simply looking
for a good-read."
"Naval Intelliegence Professional Quarterly"
" Most Naval Intelligence Professionals - even those particularly
interested in codebreaking - would probably avoid a book on
breaking Luftwaffe codes. In this instance that would be a great
mistake... there have been scores of books recounting the British
codebreaking activities during World War II at BletchleyPark, a
private estate some 50 miles north of London. But "Cracking the
Luftwaffe Codes" is different. It is the personal account of Miss
Gwen Davies who, as an 18-year-old sergeant in the Royal Air Force
WAAF (Women's Auxiliary Air Force), was ordered to Bletchley Park
in the summer of 1942... We are told about the process and
procedure for cracking the German Air Force codes. But more
interesting to this reviewer is the author's descriptions of the
people with whom she worked, the famous 'huts' in which the
codebreakers worked, their accommodations (in private homes and
then in barracks), their social life, and, especially, their food.
The appendix 'Food at Bletchley' is particularly fascinating, and
gives lie to the popular novel Enigma by Robert Harris (1995),
which claimed to be an accurate view of the workings and culinary
privations of Bletchley Park.
" Miss Davies had an excellent memory for words and a gift for
languages, making her a useful participant in the codebreaking
effort. She was one of thousands of British and American
codebreakers who made contributions to the Allied victory in World
War II - often one word at a time."
"WWII History Magazine," January 2007
" Written by a member of the cryptographic staff at the British
codebreaking center at Bletchley Park, this eminently fascinating
inside story is an account of the many diverse personalities
involved in the complex, highly classified operation and the
invaluable service they performed for the Allies. It was not until
1974 that Bletchley Park's activities were even detailed for the
public.
" The author, then a sergeant in the British Women's Auxiliary Air
Force, brings to life the reality of the German Air Section at BP,
as the center was known, the first-ever account of this crucial
department. In a highly informative and lyrical account, she
details her eventful interview, her eventual appointment at the
'biggest lunatic asylum in Britain, " methods empoloyed to crack
the maddeningly difficult codes, the day-to-day operations at the
center, and the decommisssioning of her section at war's end.
" "Cracking the Luftwaffe Codes" is much more readable than Leo
Mark's "Between Silk and Cyanide," which told basically the same
story, but not as well. Watkins' tale is thoroughly enjoyable from
start to finish."
"WWII History Magazine," January 2007
"Written by a member of the cryptographic staff at the British
codebreaking center at Bletchley Park, this eminently fascinating
inside story is an account of the many diverse personalities
involved in the complex, highly classified operation and the
invaluable service they performed for the Allies. It was not until
1974 that Bletchley Park's activities were even detailed for the
public.
"The author, then a sergeant in the British Women's Auxiliary Air
Force, brings to life the reality of the German Air Section at BP,
as the center was known, the first-ever account of this crucial
department. In a highly informative and lyrical account, she
details her eventful interview, her eventual appointment at the
'biggest lunatic asylum in Britain," methods empoloyed to crack the
maddeningly difficult codes, the day-to-day operations at the
center, and the decommisssioning of her section at war's end.
""Cracking the Luftwaffe Codes" is much more readable than Leo
Mark's "Between Silk and Cyanide," which told basically the same
story, but not as well. Watkins' tale is thoroughly enjoyable from
start to finish."
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