Bletchley Park Commemorative Badge

ASD facilitated the award of the Bletchley Park Commemorative Badge to over 200 Australian Second World War ‘Siginters’ (signals intelligence personnel) whose wartime service had never been adequately recognised in Australia. The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) issued the badges on behalf of the British government to acknowledge the contribution of Bletchley Park and its outstations to the Allied victory in the Second World War.

When ASD learned in 2009 of the GCHQ decision to award the badges to all Allied Sigint veterans, Central Bureau in Brisbane and Fleet Radio Unit Melbourne (FRUMEL) were not included. During the war these units, although run jointly by the Australian and United States (US) Services, were under US command. Central Bureau supported General Douglas MacArthur’s South-West Pacific Area Command, and FRUMEL was subordinate to the US Navy’s 7th Fleet.

Although initially it seemed that the Australian veterans might not qualify for the award, GCHQ agreed with ASD that Australian personnel who served in Central Bureau and FRUMEL were entitled to receive the Commemorative Badge. With the help of the presidents of veterans’ associations, ASD identified over 200 veterans. From early April 2010, these veterans received their badges.

Jessie Flanders holds a small badge in one hand and a black and white framed photograph of her younger self in the other.
FRUMEL code-breaker Jessie Flanders was awarded her Bletchley Park Commemorative Badge in 2011: My mother and father died not knowing what I’d done during the war. Even my late husband didn’t know and I’m a little bit sad about that, but that’s how it was. We were sworn to secrecy and I kept my word.
Source: The Standard
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