UK National Archives Files

[Nick Beale]

Hallo Mihai,

The point of my post was that if you download the DEFE3/ files for that period August–October period you can use the messages there to identify what there is in HW5/. The DEFE3 item caarries a serial number CX/MSS to show which HW5 item(s) it is based on. This will narrow down your search. Not everything was reported in DEFE3 but most items of operational significance were. A look at DEFE can save you a lot of time when you later get to the HW5 files. Also if you can identify individual messages, someone here may have some of them.

[steve sheridan]

Hi Nick, out of curiosity is there anything available to download for 1940-41 in these files you mention?

Best regs,
Steve.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by steve sheridan

Hi Nick, out of curiosity is there anything available to download for 1940-41 in these files you mention?

Best regs,
Steve.

Not for 1940, as far as I know. They’re on paper. May 1942 is the earliest downloadable stuff I’ve looked for.

Go to the National Archives site, “search the catalogue” and then “advanced search”. Under “must include” put “Cairo” then in the appropriate box ask it to search file series DEFE 3 and make the date range 1939 to 1942. When you get the results, sort them as “date ascending”. That will show you the earlist material available.

The point about the Cairo series reports is that these were the first non-naval Ultra reports sent to an overseas command, i.e. the Middle East. These were declassified first, they were individual items (sometimes loose) on very flimsy paper so they were microfilmed after a few years and later the microfilm could be easily scanned and put online. HW 5 material is compiled into hard cover bound volumes however.

[Mihai Pica]

Originally Posted by Nick Beale

Hallo Mihai,

The point of my post was that if you download the DEFE3/ files for that period August–October period you can use the messages there to identify what there is in HW5/. The DEFE3 item caarries a serial number CX/MSS to show which HW5 item(s) it is based on. This will narrow down your search. Not everything was reported in DEFE3 but most items of operational significance were. A look at DEFE can save you a lot of time when you later get to the HW5 files. Also if you can identify individual messages, someone here may have some of them.

Ohh allright, sorry, it flew over my head,thanks a lot Nick, will give it a go.