American 6813 Division History October 1945 Page 30

Tony Sale's Codes and Ciphers

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(operational watchkeeper) and Capt Barnard J. Vogel (specialist consultant
on railway consignment numbers and field post numbers).

There were never more than ten Americans from 6813th Signal

Security Detachment in Hut Three. All were officers since it was the policy
of the Hut not to employ enlisted men. All except Major Edgerton, Capt
Vogel and Lt served throughout as watchkeepers. Although there were
American military and air advisers, these were not Signal Corps personnel
but were members of Special Branch M. I. S. and came under the Embassy at
London. They were commanded by Col Telford Taylor.


Critique. It should be remarked that close and cordial relations,

both official and personal, obtained at all times between the British and
American personnel in Hut Three. Differences in vocabulary and literary
style between the American languages hampered the neophyte watch-
keeper but in due course the transatlantic translator was able to produce
copy intelligible not only to his compatriots but to his British cousins.

It was at one time contemplated to set up an American organisa-

tion duplicating Hut Three. It must be considered fortunate that this
project was eventually dropped and a programme of cooperation maintained.
At no time did the American party represent more than a tiny fraction of
the British personnel working in Hut Three. The long period required to
train watchkeepers, consultants or advisers would have rendered it exceeding-
ly difficult if not impossible to increase the number of Americans within
the periof when they would have been useful. Further, B. P. had since 1939
accumulated vast resources by way of indexes and documents without which
emendation, translation and interpretation could not have been carried out.
Finally, the atmosphere of close cooperation between Britons and Americans
might have given way to unpleasant competition and resultant diminution in
the output of intelligence, had separate organisations been established.

The newcomer to B. P. was always struck by the efficiency with

which messages were treated throughout the Hut. In view of the tactical
character of the traffic no time could be lost in locating the communica-
tions of urgency and exploiting the intelligence contained in them. All
the services
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