Originally Posted by MontyB

However when I inherited them they were invaluable for gathering information about them and passing on information to others, so from a genealogical point of view they actually mean a lot.

Yes I agree with this part.
A lot of things that we don't really think much about now can mean a lot a two generations down.

When you think that they were sworn to secrecy and nothing was heard about their role in what they did during the WW2 for almost 30 years until some one found a Government docket and followed it up and then wrote a book about it all. These people work long hours to turn out the goods and many of them suffered from broken health afterwards, well I think they should get some form of recognition for all the work that they did.

I agree but I tend to think that late in proceedings a well located monument and a higher profile in the history books is a more practical option.

Originally Posted by MontyB

I agree but I tend to think that late in proceedings a well located monument and a higher profile in the history books is a more practical option.

I agree with that, as well as a monument to Bomber crews, of over 50,000 were lost.

It the same position that people in the CIA or the NSA (National Security Agency) face whenever the old Soviet Union used to shoot down the reconnaissance planes that were half staffed with military/civillian spooks...maybe the military portion of the crews had recognition of some type, but the "civilians" on board were never reconised for the act of giving up their lives for what ever cause.

What ever the motive...in this day and age they couldnt be that many surviving people from the bletchly park operation alive...not that many medals to hand out.

Mark..............50% of those code breakers are still alive they reckon from the 10.000 people that took part there are 5.000 of them still alive

5000...darn thats a good number. what were they, 18 years old ? considering the fact the operation was from about 1939-45...over sixty four years ago plus 18 minum age ...82 years old? them some long lived brits.

not that i dont like long lived brits, btw...to them brits.

but 5000 82 year old code breakers...

Because they didn't suffer the problem that the people on the front lines suffered during or after the war. That's what medals were created for, those people, not those sitting in a bunker thousands of miles away.

Yet in this case the work of those sitting in bunkers thousands of miles away save the lives of countless potential medal winners sitting at the front lines.

If this was 1945 I would support the recognition of the code breakers with their own campaign medal as they deserve recognition but I just think its a little past the medals phase.

Yet in this case the work of those sitting in bunkers thousands of miles away save the lives of countless potential medal winners sitting at the front lines.

They did their job.