Openshaw, Gerald (Oral history)

189600015
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Permitted use for these purposes:
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Accepted Non-commercial Use

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Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

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Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
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© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

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Description

Object description

British civilian worker with General Post Office and with Radio Security Service in Bolton, GB, 1939-1941; signaller and NCO served with Royal Corps of Signals attached to Special Communications Unit No 3, Radio Security Service in GB, 1942-1946

Content description

REEL 1 Recollections of period as worker with General Post Office and with Radio Security Service in Bolton, GB, 1939-1941: reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; his work identifying redundant telephone circuits to make them available for wartime emergency services; his status with General Post Officer, 9/1939; provisions for repair of telephone apparatus in event of heavy bombing; vulnerability of telephone cables to bombing; effects on telephone system during German Air Force bombing of Manchester, 12/1940; German Air Force attacks on Bolton; approach to become voluntary inspector with Radio Security Service, 1940; role listening to coded messages in Morse Code; explanation of Q Code System. REEL 2 Continues: techniques for identifying operators; 'handwriting' of individual Morse Code operators; method of passing on information gathered; quality of equipment used. Recollections of period as signaller and NCO with Royal Corps of Signals attached to Special Communications Unit No 3, Radio Security Service in GB, 1942-1946: call-up for military service, 19/1/1942; reporting to unit at Barnet, 19/1/1942; character of intercept work; fast writing techniques. REEL 3 Continues: question of national characteristics of Morse Code transmissions; German subterfuges to confuse listeners; degree of strain involved in work and case of unit member who was psychologically affected by work; general enthusiasm of staff; character of different groups intercepted; opening of Hanslope Park Radio Station, 4/1942; special aerials used at Hanslope Park Radio Station; discontent at attempt to impose military discipline; question of degree of British knowledge about operation of Dutch Special Operations Executive operatives under German control. REEL 4 Continues: equipment made by John Brown; his volunteering for work at St Erith Direction Finding Station; the Direction Finding (DF) network in GB; method of operating Direction Finding (DF) stations; nature of direction finding work; distribution of German stations located; effects of Northern Lights on Thurso Direction Finding Station; commissioning of Wymondham Direction Finding Station; need for security at Thurso Direction Finding Station; reasons why he never operated on Japanese traffic; problem of transmitting Japanese Morse Code; listening to Soviet radio traffic, 1946; how material was sent to Government Code and Cypher School, Bletchley Park; national field day for amateurs at Hanslope Park. REEL 5 Continues: close circuit national field day contest at Hanslope Park Radio Station, 6/1943.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Wood, Conrad (Recorder)
Openshaw, Gerald (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 1990-11-20
Dimensions: whole: Duration 135, Number Of Items 5
Catalogue number: 11726

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Openshaw, Gerald (Oral history)

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