[Film] Rare footage of people working at Bletchley Park.

AmexRuislip

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Feb 2, 2014

33,801

Ruislip

• Apr 3, 2020

• #1

With the current issues and people struggling with the isolation rules.
Spare a thought for the heroes who were in lock down at Bletchley Park, during WW2.
A real insight to what life was like behind closed doors

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-52136986/mi6-world-war-two-workers-in-rare-forbidden-footage

 

Norman Potting

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Nov 5, 2006

13,967

Sussex, Sussex not by the sea and actually nearer

• Apr 3, 2020

• #2

Fascinating place. Thought for one moment the heading implied that the they spent most of their time in the loo, making tea or having a crafty fag!

 

AmexRuislip

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Ruislip

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Norman Potting said:

Fascinating place. Thought for one moment the heading implied that the they spent most of their time in the loo, making tea or having a crafty fag!

Click to expand...

We were going to go back in the summer, as you get in free within a year of paying for your first visit.
But then......

 

P

portslade seagull

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Jul 19, 2003

17,606

portslade

• Apr 4, 2020

• #4

Done a few courses with BT there. Still had some Nissan hits then

 

Norman Potting

Well-known member

Nov 5, 2006

13,967

Sussex, Sussex not by the sea and actually nearer

• Apr 4, 2020

• #5

Were the replica Enema and Ultrasound machines, and the early valve operated OED spellchecker working

Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk

 

KZNSeagull

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Nov 26, 2007

19,802

Wolsingham, County Durham

• Apr 4, 2020

• #6

Mrs KZN is currently transcribing interviews with women who worked at Bletchley and its associated outstations - one story she told me from an outstation that just housed women was that they used to go down to a lake and sunbathe topless, but this had to stop when it was noticed that the RAF started flying over there far more often than usual!

 

happypig

Staring at the rude boys

May 23, 2009

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Eastbourne

• Apr 4, 2020

• #7

portslade seagull said:

Done a few courses with BT there. Still had some Nissan hits then

Click to expand...

Me too. Maintenance 2 & Herald to name a couple. Did more at Stone though.

 

P

portslade seagull

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Jul 19, 2003

17,606

portslade

• Apr 4, 2020

• #8

happypig said:

Me too. Maintenance 2 & Herald to name a couple. Did more at Stone though.

Click to expand...

The canteen was nice and subsidised. Old street, Harrogate and Bristol they used to send us all over

 

Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat

Aug 18, 2009

65,451

Beside the seaside, beside the sea

• Apr 4, 2020

• #9

I've met a couple of older ladies who were Bletchley Wrens, at various reunions. Very humble ladies.

 

studio150

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Jul 30, 2011

29,611

On the Border

• Apr 4, 2020

• #10

So at the height of the war, bound by the Official Secrets Act, someone decides to smuggle a camera into a secret site, no doubt with a potential death sentence if caught.

Given that in a number of the scenes the people being filmed would have willingly agreed to being filmed, why did they not report that someone was using a camera in the site against Regulations.

If security was this lapse how much information leaked out.

 

S

Shropshire Seagull

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Nov 5, 2004

8,496

Telford

• Apr 4, 2020

• #11

I've worked on MOD sites where mobile phones must be left at reception and collected at the end of the day - STRICTLY no photographic equipment of any kind allowed - perhaps they were more relaxed during wartime
#doubtit

Having watched the clip - I don't believe it spills any national secrets - filming work colleagues play football / cricket / R&R outside seem harmless enough - Although I acknowledge I'm no MI6 auditor.

 

Last edited: Apr 4, 2020

AmexRuislip

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studio150 said:

So at the height of the war, bound by the Official Secrets Act, someone decides to smuggle a camera into a secret site, no doubt with a potential death sentence if caught.

Given that in a number of the scenes the people being filmed would have willingly agreed to being filmed, why did they not report that someone was using a camera in the site against Regulations.

If security was this lapse how much information leaked out.

Click to expand...

I don't think any info did leak out, as the Germans would've tried to sabotage the place, it was a similar situation with 'Hillside' at the NT site of Hughenden Manor, only until recently it was revealed what went on there.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hughenden/features/operation-hillside-appeal

Shropshire Seagull said:

Although I acknowledge I'm no MI6 auditor.

Click to expand...

"The seagull flys over the Amex at 15:00 hours"

 

AmexRuislip

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Ruislip

• Apr 4, 2020

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https://www.theregister.co.uk/AMP/2020/04/04/mi6_personnel_bletchley/