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80 years ago today, 9th May 1941

Muenchen


Sorry that it is rather cryptic!       ?


Clive
  • I accepted your cryptic message challenge.


    Enigma!


    “The Germans, assuming U-110 had foundered with her secrets intact, failed to realize that their code was broken. The subsequent information passing before British eyes helped the Allies enormously in the Battle of the Atlantic.”
  • Yes, Enigma is what I was looking for, but there is a twist. 

     

    The Muenchen was a German weathership which was boarded on 7th May and whilst its Captain had thrown their Enigma over the side, the coding tables had been left on his desk.  The coding tables were then taken to Bletchley Park where, I understand, they were used from 9th May 1941.


    The capture of the U-110's Enigma by Royal Navy personnel on 9th May 1941. Strangely(?) in the film U-571 it was the US Navy who boarded the submarine, whereas it was not until June 1944 that they managed the same feat.


    Another enigma perhaps, is that I was one of the last to receive an Enigma encoded message on shortwave in Morse code.....


    Cheers!

    Clive
  • Clive, I think the best enigma is your receipt of the last encoded message! Very humbling.
  • Although firstly the UK govt sold  the system to some commonwealth countries as a secure means of communication after the war, so the coding scheme was in use for a while after the famous 'closing down for ever' message.

    and some hams do keep broadcasting using the coding scheme to commemorate. this was the Last time in 2017 I think..


    Mike
  • Looks like I will have to amend my CV !


    The Enigma encrypted message that I received was the 2005 one transmitted from GCHQ Scarborough. Due to the Amateur Licence conditions at that time (it was transmitted from their amateur radio club site) this was referenced in their published information on the transmission:-


    "We are indebted to OFCOM, the UK communications regulator for giving permission to transmit an enciphered Enigma message on the amateur radio bands. Permission was granted under the strict understanding that this was a one-off dispensation for this 60th anniversary event, on the 7th and 8th May 2005 only. An Enigma message has not been heard on the air for some 60 years.  We think this will be the last time it is every heard. Our final transmission will be at 1900 UTC on Sunday 8th May on 3515 kHz - the 60th Anniversary of VE day. You will be taking part in a moment of history. After our last transmission, we think that it will probably, like the Spark transmitter, fall silent for evermore."

    Their transmissions on 3515 kHz, 7015 kHz were not the best signals that I have ever read. It having been a few years since Morse was my sole means of radio communication; from November 1983 I had RadioTelex or Satcom, but still often used W/T to send weather OBS messages.

    The transmitted message was:-

    CQ DE GB2HQ =  ENIGMA MESSAGE = 
    1200 20 NUP AYT =
    ZCSIU ECZCD YOEFX NGRDP =
    RPT =
    1200 20 NUP AYT =
    ZCSIU ECZCD YOEFX NGRDP +

    My reward for the 100% correct copy was: http://ancient-mariner.co.uk/public/GCHQ%20Cert.JPG and the coffee mug here: http://ancient-mariner.co.uk/public/Mug%20Shot.jpg


    Clive