Wartime Radio: The Secret Listeners

Documentary highlighting the work of wartime volunteer radio operators.

Illustrated with archival film and photographs, as well as interviews with those involved, the documentary traces the evolution of civilian involvement in radio-based intelligence during both world wars. It was the tireless work of amateur radio enthusiasts during World War I, that initially convinced the Admiralty to establish a radio intercept station at Hunstanton. Playing an integral role during the war, technological advances meant that radio operators could pinpoint signals, thus uncovering the movement of German boats, leading to the decisive Battle of Jutland in 1916. Wireless espionage was to play an even more important role during World War II, with the Secret Intelligence Service setting up the Radio Security Service, which was staffed by Voluntary Interceptors, a band of amateur radio enthusiasts scattered across Britain. The information they collected was interpreted by some of the brightest minds in the country, who also had a large hand in deceiving German forces by feeding false intelligence.

Featured Buildings

Hippisley Hut, Hunstanton; HMP Wormwood Scrubs; Hanslope Park, Buckinghamshire

Featured Events

Battle of Jutland

Keywords

Amateur radio; Espionage; Military intelligence; Radio communication; Volunteers; World War I; World War II

Other Places

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire; Hanslope, Buckinghamshire; Wymondham, Norfolk; Wormwood Scrubs, Greater London