German “Room 40”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 243, 4 January 1928, Page 9

German “Room 40”

BRITISH NAVAL SECRETS Mystery of Lonely Moor By Cable.—Press Association. — Copyright. .Received 9.5 a.m. LOXDOX, Tuesday. THE Berlin correspondent of ‘'The Times” states that, following Sir Alfred Ewing's disclosures about the Admiralty’s mysterious “Room 40.” an ex-wireless officer. Lieuten-ant-Commander Kraschutzki, in an article in the “Vossisehe Zeitung,” regarding the German department corresponding with Room 40, says it was housed in a mysterious barbwired wireless station on a lonely moor at Neunnmster.

Astonishing achievements -were recorded; but it was long before officers responsible for naval • ciphers learned the obvious lesson that their discovery of the British code key on the first night after the monthly change implied that the British could i discover the German key with equal ' ease, especially since it was much simpler than the British, even if the British had not secured it from German submarines sunk in shallow coastal waters. Nevertheless, the German keys were unaltered for months. Even if the German wireless operators forgot to secure the new signal when it was eventually changed, they could work it out from the first message received. Only in 1916 was a new and faultless code book issued. The key after that was changed daily. The British knew the Dogger Bank plans beforehand, but at Jutland Germany changed her long-standing wireless call signals, substituting the flagships for that of the Wilhelmshaven land station. The British concluded that the flagships were still in harbour, and only the cruisers at sea. The trick was not realised until the cruiser Southampton reported that the

r whole of the German fleet was retreating.—Times. ; A cablegram of December 13 read as follows: “The best-kept secret of the war.” is how Sir Alfred Ewing describes “Room 40.’’ a department of the Admiralty, which was used for intercepting and decoding enemy wireless signals. It was so called to prevent people from inquiring into its activities, and until the secret leaked out very few officials or officers of the fleet were aware of its existence. Sir Alfred Ewing, who is now principal of Edinburgh University, was formerly Director of Naval Education. At the outbreak of the war Mr. Winston Churchill requested him to handle the enemy ciphers department, which grew until it was staffed by 50 cryptographers. He established many listening posts at which enemy signals were intercepted and telegraphed to 'Whitehall. The British fleet was thereby enabled to give battle at the Doggerbank and at Jutland. From December. 1914, the German fleet did not make a move without the Admiralty knowing beforehand. The alleged British stupidity was the most valuable asset. Only after the war did Germany discover how it had been hoodwinked. The Germans frequently changed their cipher keys, but “Room 40” became so expert that the changes made no difference. Zeppelins and submarines proceeding homeward were particularly talkative to each other.