What were the Germans planning? (Bletchley Park)

Member Name: Absy_Baby

Product:	Bletchley Park
Date:	08/09/09 (92 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Helped Britain end the war - you really do understand WW2 more

Disadvantages: If it rains, it could be a bit miserable walking between huts

Background
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Bletchley Park was a station commissioned by MI6 just before the Second World War. It was due for demolition by its current owner Captain Hubert Faulkner but the government stepped in and brought the grounds in 1938 with war on the horizon and Hitler having just invaded Austria. Bletchley Park was brought to house both MI6 and the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS). Being located only 50 miles from London in the Buckinghamshire, the GC&CS had a safer environment from the London grounds they currently had to work on the intelligence they had.

The station was given the code name 'Station X' by Commander Alastair Denniston. After preparations were finished, installation of phone lines etc the 'code breakers' were brought in. Arriving in August 1939 they masked themselves as part of Captain Ridley's shooting party in order to disguise who they really were and what they were doing. People were still not aware of what went on at Bletchley Park even after the war had finished and the truth remained relatively hidden until the mid 1970's.

Today Bletchley Park is open to the public and acts as a museum preserving what happened there during the war. Bletchley Park was actually praised as knocking up to 3 years off the length of the war with the decipher of the German code machine named the 'Enigma cypher'.

The Enigma cypher was invented in Germany in 1918 for secure banking, the German military quickly saw its potential and removed it from circulation. The Poles were ahead of anyone outside Germany and broke Enigma in 1932 whilst it was undergoing trials in the German Army. They reconstructed a machine but with the continuous development in Germany they were soon left behind, and with the imminent threat of invasion Poland soon offered the information and model to the English and French, at the time both declined with England finally taking it in 1939. Now with an Enigma machine in front of the code breakers they could make progress like they hadn't before.


Bletchley Park 2009
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Today, you can visit Bletchley Park not only to visit the site and museums to see the famous machines but you can also hire out the venue for weddings and conferences. The weddings would take place in the mansion in one of the rooms downstairs; there are rooms of different sizes.

Bletchley Park is made up of different areas Block B - The Exhibition Centre is the main entrance, where you buy your ticket and get a map, as the name is quite explanatory it also has an exhibition centre (like a museum) where you can read and see a variety of information and items from the war itself. In Block B, there is also an introductory video that lasts about 10 minutes and tells you about the site.

The Bletchley Park Garage is where some cars were used for the film Enigma plus others from the previous owners.
The Bletchley Park Post Office was believed to be the undercover mailroom with the secret address of PO Box 111 Bletchley. Now the post office has many pieces of art and history inside including some original pieces such as stamps from the war.

The Toy Shop is next to the Post Office and is full of a personal collection of toys, spread across 3 rooms are many toys and games from throughout the war period including many from US soldiers that were brought to the UK.

The Churchill Collection is another personal collection spread out in a larger hanger, having been added to for over 50 years.

Bombe Rebuild Project is a rebuild of the machine that cracked so many of Enigma's codes throughout the war. All the Bombe machines at Bletchley Park were indeed dismantled after the war to keep them remaining a secret (so why they've rebuilt one, I'm not quite sure).

Colossus Rebuild Project is a rebuild project in Block H, of the first semi programmable computer in the world.

The Computer Museum is the only hardware and software computing museum that is hands on. The museum ranges from technology from Colossus to the computers of today.

And so much more. I'm not going to name everything as there is so much.


My Thoughts
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I am a bit of a world war II buff and love going back in time to see what war time in Britain was really like, and this is what Bletchley Park offers, although it is mainly museums and exhibitions now, you really do get a feel for the people based at Bletchley Park in the war.

Bletchley Park is set out on quite a bit of land and even has its own lake, there are some nice walks around the grounds and there is A LOT of stuff to walk around. It can be hard, we went for a full day and still found we didn't see and do everything and will no doubt return at some point this year. The reason we'll return this year is our £10.00 ticket is a season ticket and you can return for free from the date the ticket is purchased. You will just need to pay parking again.

I find this a great incentive to go back, as I definitely need to, after 5 hours of constant reading and taking in so much information I felt overwhelmed and couldn't take in any more information. I would like to go back and refresh myself and start at the end where I finished this time round.

The staff are all volunteers that work for the Bletchley Trust and are so helpful, there are staff member scattered around at every turn and they are more than happy to tell you information about where you are, what happened, and some personal experiences too. Most of the volunteers are on the older side and I would presume most of their parents were in the war and I suppose many were at Bletchley Park, and that is why they feel the alliance.

I'm sure a lot of the information can be found in books and online but it is nice to see it in its natural environment, where it actually happened.

There are many huts as they are called spread out on the grounds where different parts and tasks were undertaken, it is a long walk around every hut and inside them all too. Some huts aren't open at the weekends, some are, some aren't open on bank holidays (which of course is when we went). I would recommend checking this before you go, unless you are going to head back.

Overall the whole experience was a good one, I enjoyed the people there helping and telling stories and information and it made it feel more authentic. I already totally respect the war time generation but find that many, not only those that worked at Bletchley Park, do not want to talk about it, understandably, but in terms of education Bletchley Park offers those of today an opportunity at an insight to what war time life was like, which in all honesty many people can't comprehend due to how readily available everything is today.

I think Bletchley Park should be a must on all school itineraries, I remember going to places that meant nothing at all, this is our history and we should be educated in it. Hopefully it won't be completely lost while the Bletchley Park Trust keeps going.

The prices were beyond reasonable in today's standards and the food and drinks aren't over the top either.

If it's raining take a coat as there is a lot of outside walking between areas.


Food and Drink
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In Hut 4 there is the Galley Bar & Restaurant. They serve both hot and cold meals and sandwiches. You can also get hot and cold drinks. Prices are reasonable, a sandwich can be found between £1.50-£2.00 and they are freshly made.


Opening Times
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Weekdays Winter Opening : 10.30am to 4.00pm
(1st November to 31st March)

Weekdays Summer Opening : 9.30am to 5.00pm
(1st April to 31st October)

Weekends & Bank Holidays Winter Opening : 10.30 am to 4.00pm
(1st November to 31st March)

Weekends & Bank Holidays Summer Opening : 10.30am to 5.00pm
(1st April to 31st October):


Prices
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Adults: £10.00
Concessions: £8.00
Children 12-16: £6.00
Children (under 12): Free
Family Ticket: £22.50
(2 adults & 2 children 12-16)


Parking
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£3 per car on site per visit.


Location
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The Mansion
Bletchley Park
Milton Keynes
MK3 6EB


Website
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www.bletchleypark.org.uk

Summary: A great day out, should be on everyones list, real history!