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15 October 2014
WW2 - People's War

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ULTRA secret service

by nick_sonofvets

Contributed by听
nick_sonofvets
People in story:听
Eileen Taylor (nee Murray)
Location of story:听
Bletchley Park
Background to story:听
Royal Navy
Article ID:听
A8187186
Contributed on:听
02 January 2006

Eileen Murray left her home in Rock Street, Salford, to commence duty with the WRNS in October 1941. Her brother, Leslie, who was serving in the Royal Navy, took her down to Greenwich, for her initial training.
She was posted to HMS Pembroke but allocated to special dutues at "Station X", where she served until 6, June, 1945.
Station X was, of course, Bletchley Park, where the German Enigma codes were broken.
Eileen worked in Hut 11 on the "Bombes", the fast-running machine used to decode German messages.
She was promoted to Leading Wren and, later to Petty Officer. As Head of Watch, her job was to prepare the "Menus" to be run through the machines.
During this period, Eileen and her colleagues were billeted in a number of beautiful old country houses around Bletchley Park, including Crawley Grange and Woburn Abbey.
Memories of this period include visits by King George VI, Churchill, Montgomery and Eisenhower. She particularly remembers the interest taken by the King in each of the people working there. She also remembers the boffins, such as Alan Turing.
Being at Station X, a classified operation, brought its difficulties. One one trip back from leave, Eileen and her friend, Thea, missed their train connection. When they were asked by the MP's about their unit, they were unable to give details. This immediately aroused suspicion; so they had to give a telephone number of an officer at Bletchley. The MP returned and said they would give them every assistance to get back to Bletchley.
In 1945, the work at Bletchley was drawing to a close and operators were needed to transfer to the Far East to continue the fight against the Japanese. Eileen was about to sail when her father died and she was allowed compassionate leave. The ship she was due to sail on was sunk by the Japanese, with great loss of life.
The Wrens were given the option of demobilisation or transfer to another category. On 1 August, 1945, Eileen transferred to the Fleet Mail and was posted to the C in C Naval Command at Minden in Germany. It was there that she met my father, Noel Taylor (see D-Day to Germany), whom she married in December 1946, after being "demobbed" in the preceding September.
Eileen was awarded two medals for her war service. She was bound by the Official Secrets Act and never spoke about her work on ULTRA until that period of history became public, 30 years later.

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These messages were added to this story by site members between June 2003 and January 2006. It is no longer possible to leave messages here. Find out more about the site contributors.

Message 1 - Ultra Secret Service

Posted on: 02 January 2006 by Audrey Lewis - WW2 Site Helper

Dear Nick Sonofvets,
Thank you for the story of Eileen. I am interested in your account because one of my friends served at Bletchley during the war. (She has not spoken of her experiences yet.)
I will send her your story - perhaps it may encourage her.
Just a little note - I served with the WRNS after the war - so am proud of what you say Eileen did during the war.
Kind regards,
Audrey Lewis

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