Page 5 - HGS Suburb News 141 - Winter 2020

Suburb resident awarded the Légion d’honneur

The Légion d’honneur was began to learn about the Enigma of coaches surged through the on there they would have changed
established in 1802 by Napoleon. machine, and a fortnight later I countryside several times a day, their encryption procedures.
It is France’s highest distinction started work in Hut 6, dealing bringing us in, taking us home.” But Bletchley Park’s secrets were COLIN GREGORY
awarded in recognition of both with German army codes. My About 8,000 women worked so well kept that the only
military and civilian merit. Since section did the preliminary in Bletchley Park, the central German bombs to hit it, in
2014, the French government work on the thousands of coded site for British cryptanalysts 1941, were a few randomly
has been awarding the Légion messages that poured in daily during World War II. Women jettisoned by a passing bomber.
d’honneur to D-Day veterans and the brilliant mathematicians constituted roughly 75% of the As Jean says: “It really was the
from many different countries as in the room next door cracked workforce there. While women Best Kept Secret of the War.”
a way of honouring and thanking the codes with astonishing speed, were overwhelmingly under- Only in 1974 was information
those who fought and risked their aided by the Turing Bombe, the represented in high-level work, about its wartime operations
lives to secure France’s liberation great computer that filled a such as cryptanalysis, they were declassified. After its secrets
during the Second World War. room. Social life, for most of us, employed in large numbers in were revealed in the press Jean
Nearly 6,000 medals have been was almost non-existent. Our important auxiliary work, such was finally able to tell Tim, to
awarded under the scheme. friends were as likely as not to as: operating cryptographic whom she had been married for
On the 11 November 2019, be on different shifts, and there machinery and communications many years, what she had done
75 years after the end of the were at least ten women to machinery; translating of Axis in the War. Her parents never knew.
Second World War, the French every man, which didn’t help. documents; traffic analysis; After receiving the Legion
ambassador, Catherine Colonna, Mostly we went to the cinema. clerical duties, and many more d’honneur, Jean, said “I didn’t do
presented the award to three There were five accessible fleapits, besides. According to Sir Harry anything to deserve it, I just did
Second World War veterans: all changing programmes mid- Hinsley, the “Ultra” intelligence my job. I haven’t had anything
Jean Neal, a code-breaker at week, so there was a fair amount produced at Bletchley Park from the British government, I
Bletchley Park, William Allen, of choice if you weren’t too fussy. shortened the duration of the can tell you. Not a word from
who served as a guardsman in It was strange to see it again 53 war by approximately two years. them in the last 50 years!” She
the Guards Armoured Division years on but I’m so glad I went.” On her first day Jean signed added “It’s been a lovely
of the Coldstream Guards and Bletchley Park is a 19th- the Official Secrets Act. She was experience and I’m extremely
Keith Whiting, a Royal Marine century mansion and estate in forbidden to say a word about glad at my extreme old age to
assigned to HMS Ramillies. The Milton Keynes that became the what she did to anyone outside have had it.”
Ambassador thanked them for principal centre of Allied code- the hut where she worked, so COLIN GREGORY
their sacrifices “at a time when breaking during the Second World couldn’t mention it in the
Europe lived its darkest hours, War. As Jean Neal recalls, life canteen or on the transport, let The French Embassy’s short video of
my country was lucky enough there was not very comfortable. alone to the world at large. Had the ceremony is now available on
to be able to rely on the support She was billeted in Wolverton, the German authorities had the YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?
of its closest partner, the United which she describes as “an slightest hint of the work going v=j033JSilwYc.
Kingdom, as well as on the unappealing small town some
courage of the British people to ten miles away, dominated by
defend our common values: the railway works and consisting What’s new in the Virtual Museum
liberty, democracy and peace.” almost entirely of distinctly
Suburb resident and honorary mean dwellings without bath- The number of visitors to the defined as areas of special
life member of the RA, 98 year rooms or indoor lavatories. I was HGS Virtual Museum has been architectural or historic interest,
old, Jean Neal was working for the fortunate enough, however, to be going up month by month, as the character or appearance of
civilian Foreign Office group at billeted in one of the very few people within the Suburb and which it was desirable to
Bletchley from July 1943 until modern semis, with a bathroom.” way beyond discover the wide preserve or enhance. Once an
the end of the war in Europe. In With so many people working in range of information that can area was designated, the local
2008, Jean returned to Bletchley the vicinity transport was a major help them research their family authority was required to pay
Park with the Hendon and District operation. Jean remembers “We trees, bone up on the history of special attention to such
Archaeological Society. In their were nearly all on shift work the place they live in, or study character and appearance by
newsletter she recalled: “I arrived (my section worked one week the built environment and the using its powers to make
at Bletchley Park in July 1943, days, one week nights, one Garden City Movement. building preservation orders
straight from University and week evenings, which meant 2017 marked the 50th and historic buildings grants.
without the faintest idea what we never had time to establish a anniversary of the initiation of The idea that Hampstead
my war work was going to be. I sleep pattern) so the great fleet designated conservation areas Garden Suburb should become
in the country. On 20 December a conservation area resulted
1968, the Suburb itself became a from the determination and
designated conservation area, influence of a long-standing
appropriately enough in the 60th resident, Mr Leslie Lane, who
anniversary year of its foundation. was the past-president of the
It all started with the Civic Royal town Planning Institute
TONY BRAND
Amenities Act of 1967 passed and at the time the director of (Above) Modernist style housing, Vivian Way. (Below) Lutyens’ North Square Houses
under Prime Minister Harold the Civic Trust and sponsor of and you can read all about it by a house with an interesting
Wilson, who, with his wife Mary, the Civic Amenities Bill. The visiting the Virtual Museum at history you would like to share,
was a former HGS resident living Residents Association organised hgsheritage.org.uk/Detail/ or have knowledge of a
first at 10 (1948-53) and then a meeting at Fellowship House collections/CA50-1 or by going to particular aspect of Suburb life
12 Southway (1953-64). The to which some 30 architects hgsheritage.org.uk, and on the that you think should be
major contribution of this Act and planners were invited, and Home Page click on What’s New. featured in the Virtual Museum,
was the requirement that all local they decided to form a pressure If you own any Suburb please contact Marjorie Harris at
authorities should designate group to “keep the Suburb memorabilia that you would info@hgsheritage.org.uk or ring
conservation areas. These were beautiful.” The rest is history like to loan for copying, live in 020 8455 6507.

Halloween! On the 26 October, the Resident’s Association once again held their
fabulous annual Party for HGS children at Fellowship House. With a spooky story
teller, an entertainer and face painter, plus our local Arts and Craft expert, Vera Moore,
running a creative art table on the theme, an enjoyable time was had by all present.

Events team volunteers needed

The Events Team of the HGS year. The committee meets around and energy to help in a variety of to get involved in making the
Residents Association is looking six times a year in the evening. ways in preparing and running Suburb a special place to live.
for volunteers to join its committee We also need assistance from these events including setting Our events are dependent on
to assist with running various people who would like to help run up on the day. IT skills, including volunteers if we are going to be
events. These include the annual our events but who may not want ability to design eye catching able to continue with them.
Summer Fair and New Year’s to be on the main committee. posters, would be a bonus! If interested, please contact
Eve fireworks party, as well as You don’t need any particular This is a good way to meet the HGSRA’s Chair Emma Howard
some smaller events during the skills but just some spare time people in the community and by emailing chair@hgsra.uk.
SUBURB NEWS IS PRODUCED AND DELIVERED TO YOU BY RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEERS 5