Bletchley Park people : Churchill's 'geese that never cackled'

The British government's top secret Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park, otherwise known as Station X, was the unlikely setting for one of the most vital undercover operations of the Second World War.

It was at Bletchley that teams of code breakers succeeded in cracking Germany's supposedly unbreakable Enigma codes, thereby shortening the war by at least two years.Marion Hill has interviewed some of the hundreds of people who worked at Station X to give a fascinating insight into the daily lives of the civilian and service personnel who contributed to the breaking of the Enigma and other Axis codes.

She investigates the beginnings of Station X, including the recruitment and training of staff from universities, the forces and 'civvy street'.

An examination of working conditions, colleagues, food and entertainment is followed by a look at the wider picture outside the gates of Bletchley Park, covering billets, leisure activities, travel, and the outstations.

The huge burden of secrecy placed on all who worked at Station X is also discussed, showing how the staff fully supported the need to 'keep mum', the divisions within the organisation, stresses, strains and illness and widespread disappointment at the lack of official acknowledgement for their vital task.

An epilogue brings the story up to date, looking to the future of the Bletchley Park museum.