Catalogue description Government Code and Cypher School: Commercial Section: Reports of Plain Language and Public Code Messages

Search within or browse this series to find specific records of interest.

Date range

Details of HW 29
Reference: HW 29
Title: Government Code and Cypher School: Commercial Section: Reports of Plain Language and Public Code Messages
Description:

This series comprises summary reports by the Commercial Section of commercial messages originated in enemy and neutral countries. Two notable topics stand out: German efforts to obtain wolfram and iron ore from Spain; and the attempts by Japan to obtain new technology and products from Germany. Reports were initially circulated to the Ministry of Economic Warfare, the Board of Trade, the Information Branch of the Censorship and the three service ministries; other ministries were added later.
Date: 1938-1945
Related material:

For records of the Ministry of Economic Warfare see FO 837
Separated material:

The first reports were largely experimental and have not survived.
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Former reference in its original department: CS file series
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English and French
Creator:

Government Code and Cypher School, Commercial Section, 1938-1945
Physical description: 329 file(s)
Access conditions: Open
Immediate source of acquisition:

In 2000-2004 Government Communications Headquarters
Accumulation dates: 1938 to 1945
Selection and destruction information: All surviving messages from the outbreak of the war have been preserved.
Accruals: Series is not accruing
Administrative / biographical background:

The Commercial Section was set up in 1938. It moved location four times: from London to Bletchley at the outbreak of war and back to London in 1939, because of pressure on space at Station X; in September 1940 to a house some miles from Bletchley; and back to London in May 1942 as part of the Civil Branch of the school. The section was closed down in August 1945.

Have you found an error with this catalogue description?

Help with your research