Successful reunion of surviving WW2 radio operators

Surviving WWII radio operators, who intercepted the highly secret traffic from the German Secret Service, attended a reunion on April 29 at Bletchley Park.

Hams who attended were previously involved with Ultra, the top secret material which was deciphered at Bletchley Park and disseminated only to those who had direct responsibility for directing the war.

Mike Coleman, G1YVR, gave the group an illuminating history of Direction Finding from before WWI to the present day. Direction Finding was a vital part of the WWII operations and was directed by Major Dick Keen with assistance from G5RV, G6LL, G8LT and G6CJ working on aerial systems and distribution wideband amplifiers. A well-known D/F operator was G2BTO, who unfortunately could not attend the reunion.

Bob Painter, G3BPF, described how he was member of the party given the task of tracking down the illicit transmitters of the Stern Gang and the Voice of Israel, in 1946. This was in extremely dangerous circumstances but he survived to locate the Stern Gang, though not the Voice of Israel, which was perhaps fortunate for him.

The 1,500 hams who became Voluntary Interceptors during the war were recruited by various, sometimes bizarre, means. The RSGB was called upon to help and of course could not advertise in the T&R Bulletin of that period. Mostly it was by the Old Boy, who do you know, method.

To see a picture from the reunion, click here

Source: GB2RS News - Courtesy of the RSGB