Ultra facts for kids

Enigma machine out of its wooden box

Lorenz SZ42 machine with covers removed

Part of Japanese PURPLE machine with covers removed

Ultra was a secret name used by the British during World War II. It referred to the top-secret effort to break the hidden messages (codes) of German and later Japanese forces. This work involved special machines like the Enigma machine and the Japanese Purple machine.

The secret work on the Enigma machine actually began before the war. Brave Polish code-breakers (cryptographers) managed to get an Enigma machine out of Poland and send it to England. However, the special codename 'Ultra' for this intelligence work was only given in 1941.

What Was Ultra?

Breaking Secret Codes

Ultra was the name for all the secret information gathered by breaking enemy codes. The name 'Ultra' was chosen because the information was considered even more important than the highest British security level, which was called Most Secret. This means the secrets learned through Ultra were incredibly valuable.

Why Ultra Was So Important

Understanding the Enigma codes and breaking German military messages was super important. It played a huge role in the Battle of the Atlantic. This battle was a major fight at sea and was the biggest danger to Britain during the war. A very important event happened in 1941. The British not only got an Enigma machine but also a secret codebook from a German submarine. This helped them greatly in breaking the codes.

How Ultra Worked

Gathering Secret Messages

During the war, secret information (called signals intelligence or SIGINT) was collected in a special way. First, hidden German radio messages, sent in Morse code, were recorded in Britain. To find out where these messages came from, they were recorded at two different listening stations.

The Secret Code-Breaking Place

The main work of breaking these codes happened at a place called the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS). This secret location was at Bletchley Park in England. Many clever people worked there, trying to figure out the enemy's hidden messages.

Images for kids

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  A typical Bletchley intercept sheet, before decryption and translation.

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  Average number of daily Ultra dispatches to field commanders during the second World War

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  Women cryptologists at work in the U.S. Army's Arlington Hall