Y-stations

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Y-stations were British Signals Intelligence collection sites initially established during World War I[1] and later used during World War II. These sites were operated by a range of agencies including the Admiralty, General Post Office and Marconi Company receiving stations ashore and afloat.

These sites collected traffic which was then either analysed locally or, if encrypted, passed for processing initially to Admiralty Room 40 in London and during WWII to the Government Code and Cypher School established at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire.

Traffic intercepted was recorded by hand and sent to Bletchley on paper by motorcycle couriers or, later, by teleprinter.[2]

The term was also used for similar stations attached to the Intelligence Corps' India outpost, the Wireless Experimental Centre (W.E.C.) outside Delhi.

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[edit] Y-station sites in the United Kingdom

[edit] Beeston Bump “Y” Station

The remains of the Y Station on Beeston Bump
The remains of the Y Station on Beeston Bump

During the Second World War Beeston Bump was the location of one of the top secret listening stations. The concrete remnants of this top secret facility can still be seen on the summit of the hill. The remains consist of an octagonal concrete base that measure 3850mm across with a channel running west to east across the middle on the southern edge of the octagon is a raised area of concrete which is 225mm higher than the rest of the base. Around the edge of the octagon are the remnants of what was one a reinforced parapet which has long been removed. There are also sign of a fletton brick wall running westward away from the raised area. During an episode of BBC 1’s series “Coast”[4] a lady by the name of Joy Hale was interviewed by the presenter Hermione Cockburn. Joy Hale had been a WREN during the war and had been an operator at the “Y” station on the summit of Beeston Bump.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Y-stations in WW1
  2. ^ Nicholls, J., (2000) England Needs You: The Story of Beaumanor Y Station World War II Cheam, published by Joan Nicholls
  3. ^ a b The National Archives - Piece details HW 50/82. Retrieved on 2008-05-10.
  4. ^ BBC - Coast

[edit] External links