Applied Computing students visit Bletchley Park

On 4 March, a group of Applied Computing students visited Bletchley Park, a historic site a few miles from Buckingham where secret messages, mostly high-profile military information, were deciphered during the Second World War. Some of the students already knew what Bletchley Park was about but it was their first time they had visited it. Please find below some of the student feedback.

I, as a HR & Sales student, had never heard about Bletchley Park. When Dr Sellahewa asked me if I had any clue what it was about, I said that I thought that it was a museum with lots of computers of different sizes. Then he explained to me that it was the place where encrypted messages were being decrypted during World War II. To me, as a Belgian student, it was a great experience. The guided tour was very impressive and the machines they’ve used as well.

The trip was an excellent idea for computing students. It was a real eye-opener event to see the importance of computer science in real world situations. They enjoyed the trip and some of them will visit again in the future. Everything in Bletchley seemed highly intelligent and you could see that people worked hard. The buildings and masterpieces are really very astonishing. One of the students learnt more about Alan Turing who is one of his idols.

I can tell that many students liked the story behind the Enigma. The trip was a good chance for them to see everything. Even the machine itself in real life. The place is arranged in an historical way that made the students imagine how everything happened during that time. Also, the games are designed in a professional way. As a result, the trip carved more memories into their minds.

There were some students who would have wished to see the full Bombe demonstration. Sadly, they ran out of time.

Here is what students had to say about their visit::

“The life story of Bletchley Park was something I liked. Next to that, I also liked the physical evidence (place of work, machineries, lighting, uniforms, and working tools) and the work circumstances there. I was impressed by the Enigma machine, the encryptions and the devotion all the army soldiers must have had. I also liked the headphone and digital device that was given to narrate the story. It was an experience that will never be forgotten.”

“The trip was amazing because I learnt a lot of things about the war and how the British people were united to break the Germans enigma code and end the war.”

“I particularly enjoyed the guided tour, since I always find it best to listen to someone knowledgeable on the subject.”

Fairouse Chihabi (Applied Computing Intern)