Enigma Machine

Contributed by Royal Air Force Museum London

This is an Enigma 1 machine. It was used by the German army and air force to send secret coded messages between head quarters and units in the field.

Skilful work by Polish intelligence officers as well as staff at Bletchley Park enabled British Intelligence to read many of Germany's secret messages from May 1940 until the end of the war. During the Battle of Britain these messages gave Dowding an insight into Goering's plans enabling him to put the RAF's hard pressed resources to best use.

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