The majority of those who worked at Eastcote Outstation were ‘Wrens’, members of the Women’s Royal Naval Service. This is A Watch, around 1944.
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Bletchley Park’s Eastcote Outstation
Eastcote, one of five Outstations developed to house Bletchley Park’s growing numbers of Bombe machines, came into operation in September 1943. Converted from government buildings in Hillingdon, north-west London, it was home to up to 100 Bombes of different types, WRNS Bombe operators, RAF mechanics, and associated staff. Eastcote was the only Outstation also used by the United States Army – their 6812th Signals Security Detachment had a dedicated Bombe bay on site, containing 10 machines. Shortly after WW2 ended, Eastcote became the headquarters of the Government Code & Cypher School, newly renamed GCHQ.
This Collections uncovered album was first published on 23 October 2018.
Wren Rachel Morley was stationed at Eastcote from April 1944. Having started as a Bombe Operator, Rachel was later put in charge of her Watch and became a Controller.
The US 6812th Signals Security Detachment moved to Eastcote Outstation in 1944. This list of all the unit’s personnel was printed on the menu for their first Christmas dinner menu at Eastcote.
The second half of the list of 6812th Signals Security Detachment personnel. By 1945, 128 American personnel were working at Eastcote. Unlike the British staff, they did not live on site but were accommodated in their own camp in Ruislip Woods.
All of the UK-based Bombes were maintained by RAF mechanics. This summer 1944 group portrait includes Bill Mulford, Bill ‘Jock’ Gorrold, Patrick Rouke, Eric Walker, Peter Attwood, Sid Keely, Bill Morgan and Bert Elliott (marked with the yellow dot).
Eastcote’s ‘B’ Watch Wrens put on this play in aid of the Merchant Navy Comforts Fund. It was performed at Pinner County School in the evening of Saturday 5 August 1944.
Eastcote fielded a joint RAF/WRNS hockey team. Here we see: (back row) Andy Paton, Rosamund Slade, Jeanne Kirkpatrick, Jill Dawbarn, Bernard Raftery, unknown, David Whitehead; (front row): Eric Ingham, Peggy Erskine-Tulloch, Ann Keep and Harold Rusdale.
At the end of the war everyone who worked with the Bombe machines, including those at Eastcote, received this farewell message from Sqdn Ldr Elwyn Jones. As an RAF Sergeant Jones had operated and maintained the very first Bombe and eventually rose to command all Bombe Operators and Mechanics.
Serving together at Eastcote Outstation created close bonds between staff, who formed the Old Eastcote Association after the war. The Association’s magazine provided a means of keeping in touch once staff had been dispersed to other posts or demobilised back into civvy street.
This wistful and wishful poem reflects fond memories of serving at Eastcote.
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