Diplomatic Wireless Service facts for kids
The Diplomatic Wireless Service (DWS) was a special communication system. It was created for the British Foreign Office in 1945. Brigadier Richard Gambier-Parry was the first person in charge.
The DWS grew from groups called Special Communication Units (SCU). These units helped with communications for MI6 during World War II. The DWS first started at Whaddon Hall in Buckinghamshire. Later, in 1946-1947, it moved to Hanslope Park.
The main job of the DWS was to help British embassies talk to the UK. This part of the DWS worked from Hanslope Park. Today, Hanslope Park is still the main base for the DWS's successor, Her Majesty's Government Communications Centre (HMGCC).
What DWS Did
The Diplomatic Wireless Service had several important roles. It helped connect British embassies around the world. It also played a part in broadcasting and gathering important information.
Connecting Embassies
The DWS made sure that British embassies could send and receive messages from the UK. This was very important for diplomats to do their work. It helped them stay in touch with the government back home.
Broadcasting BBC Radio
The DWS also helped broadcast radio programs for the BBC. They operated and looked after radio transmitters. These transmitters sent out the BBC's European Service and Overseas Service. These two services later became the BBC World Service in 1988.
The main place for these broadcasts in the UK was near Crowborough in East Sussex. This area is close to the Ashdown Forest. A very important transmitter there was called 'Aspi 1'.
Crowborough was also the engineering base for other radio stations overseas. These included stations in Zygi, Cyprus, and later in Perim and Masirah. These stations helped send BBC programs to different parts of the world. In 1985, this part of the DWS was taken over by the BBC.
Gathering Information
DWS operators also helped gather signals intelligence. This means they listened to radio signals to collect important information. They did this for GCHQ, which is a British intelligence agency.
These operators worked from inside British embassies. One of the first places where they did this was in Ankara, Turkey, starting in 1943. Another key location was Stockholm, Sweden. This place was good for listening to radio messages from the Soviet Union.
