UK World War II Military Communication

These are some pictures I took during a visit when the UK government was commemmorating the anniversary of the end of the war. There was a large collection of exhibits set up in London's Saint James Park.

World War II radio used in the Burma theater of operations and by the Pathfinders in Normandy.

                
A radio used in the Burma theatre (as shown on map behind), the same radio used by the Normandy Pathfinders.

Pathfinder teams (sticks) were made up of a group of eight to twelve pathfinders and a group of six bodyguards who defended the pathfinders while they set up their equipment.

Pathfinder teams dropped approximately thirty minutes before the main body in order to locate designated drop zones and provide radio and visual guides for the main force.

Once the main body jumped, the pathfinders then joined their original units and fought as standard airborne infantry.

Control knobs of a radio used by Normandy Pathfinders and Allied soldiers in the Burma theater.

Here is a closer view of that radio used in Burma and in Normandy.

You can barely see that its tuning range was about 7.35 to 9.00 MHz. The tuning knob, at center, could be locked in place by tightening the small locking knob into place.

HF communications receiver, type P.C.R. 2, made by Pye Ltd.

HF communications receiver, type P.C.R. 2, made by Pye Ltd, UK.

World War II spy radio built into a full-sized suitcase.

Here's a "low profile" spy radio, weighing 16 kg and filling a suitcase!

Compare that to modern HF radio designs which can fit far more functionality into an Altoids tin.

NRO HF receiver, type HRO-M, used by General Montgomery's signal staff during World War II.

This NRO HF receiver, type HRO-M, was used by Montgomery's signal staff at Luneburg Heath, Germany.

This was the radio on which the official German surrender message was received!

British Type X cipher machine from World War II.

A British Type X cipher machine used to encrypt and decrypt messages sent over the HF communication links.

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