Solihull Arts Complex

This show by Dr Mark Baldwin is one of the Second World War’s most fascinating stories. The Allied Codebreakers deciphered a vast number of German secret messages and used the intelligence they gained to hasten Allied victory. The Germans had entrusted their secret communications to an ingenious ciphering machine - the Enigma - which was portable, easily operated, and could be set up in millions of ways. The codes were changed every 24 hours.

The Allies gained invaluable information about troop and aircraft dispositions, orders of battle, U-boat movements, technical development, military intentions and tank and artillery strengths. It is generally reckoned that the intelligence from Enigma shortened the war by about two years.

Dr Mark Baldwin has made a detailed study of the Enigma machine, the code-breaking work at Bletchley Park, and U-boats and has built up a unique collection of slides which illustrate the main features of those important facts of the Second World War. He has prepared an entertaining instructive show on this subject.

The show is divided into two parts. It is followed by an opportunity for questions, then a hands-on demonstration of one of the very few surviving Enigma machines.