Operation Primrose: U110, the Bismarck and the Enigma Code by David Boyle

by David Boyle

Operation Primrose tells the story of the capture of U-110 – and with it a working Enigma machine. One of the biggest secrets of the war, the capture of that one machine turned the tide of the war in British favour. The German U-boat attacks were crippling the nation’s ability to survive, and the key to breaking that threat was in deciphering the German’s naval Enigma code. Turing and his colleagues at Bletchley Park worked tirelessly to crack the code, and with the working Enigma machine they finally had their break-through moment. This book sets the story, and the Enigma cryptographers, in context – at the heart of the Battle of the Atlantic, when it reached its crescendo in the pursuit of the battleship Bismarck the week after U110 was taken. It sets Bletchley Park in its wider context too, at the heart of an intricate and maverick network of naval intelligence, tracking signals and plotting them to divert convoys around waiting U-boats, involving officers like James Bond’s future creator, Ian Fleming. It also sets out the most important context of all, forgotten in so much of the Enigma that Britain’s own naval code had already been cracked, and its signals were being read, thanks to the efforts of Turing’s opposite number, the German naval cryptographer, Wilhelm Tranow.An exciting and enthralling true story ‘Operation Primrose’ is an excellently researched piece on the race for naval supremacy in the Second World War. David Boyle's work has been widely praised. ‘The tone of the book may be gloomy but there is plenty of entertainment value …’ Anne Ashworth, The Times ‘Exhilarating’ Daily Mail ‘He tells these stories, on the whole persuasively and with some startling asides.’ New Statesman ‘A book that is engagingly sensitive to the sentiments of what is sometimes called “middle England”’ Dominic Lawson, Sunday Times David Boyle is a British author and journalist who writes mainly about history and new ideas in economics, money, business and culture. He lives in Crystal Palace, London. His books include ‘Alan Unlocking the Enigma’, ‘Rupert England’s Last Patriot’, ‘Peace on The Christmas Truce of 1914’, ‘ England’s National Anthem’, ‘Unheard Warfare in the Dardanelles’, ‘Towards the Setting The Race for America’ and ‘The Age to Come’. Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent digital publisher. We are always interested in hearing from our readers. Endeavour Press believes that the future is now.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, War

Paperback

First published July 27, 2015

About the author

David Courtney Boyle was a British author and journalist who wrote mainly about history and new ideas in economics, money, business, and culture. He lived in Steyning in West Sussex.
He conducted an independent review for the Treasury and the Cabinet Office on public demand for choice in public services which reported in 2013. Boyle was a co-founder and policy director of Radix, which he characterized in 2017 as a radical centrist think tank. He was also co-director of the mutual think tank New Weather Institute.

Reviews

[Boudewijn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short introductionary story to operation Primrose, the capture of U-110 in order to get a hand on an enigma machine. Short, but highly readable.

When war started in 1940, it was soon clear that the Battle of the Atlantic was the key battle in order for the UK to survive and win the war. Being able to break the enemies code in order to pinpoint the exact U-boats location was critical. This book deals with the activities that the British navy undertook in order to break the Enigma code.

The enigma code proved very difficult to crack, and one of the ways this needed to be done was to capture an Engima machine itself and the handbooks that contained the codes for the month. In this book the author describes operation Primrose, with the aim to get a working Enigma machine.

[Jerrod Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read and chock-full of facts, this book really gives a detailed account of important ships, battles and moments in the quest to break to code of the Enigma machine. If you've seen the movie "The Imitation Game" you could really come away with the impression that Alan Turing sat in a room by himself and dreamed up a way to break the codes.

But the level of contribution that came from the British systematically hunting for and obtaining code sheets, rotors and actual enigma machines was indispensable to make the work at Bletchley even possible. This book breaks all that down for you.

For my tastes, this read a bit more like a report than I cared for. There were so many players in this game that a timeline or maybe several other charts that showed the relationships between actors, events and outcomes would have been helpful to make it more digestible.

I received an advance copy of this book gratis in exchange for writing a review on Goodreads and on Amazon. I'm grateful for the copy, glad I read it, and would recommend it to others wanting a fuller view of the work required to break the German cryptography of World War II.

[Dean Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging companion piece to David Boyle's book centering on the cracking of the Enigma code, this book puts the incredible feats at Bletchley Park in context and charts the equally incredible feats of those who captured the first Enigma machines. Like Unlocking the Enigma, although incredibly detailed in its research it reads like a novel. It is fast paced and entertaining but without diminishing the risks and sacrifices of those involved. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in this period of history.

[David Highton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short book linking the capture without sinking of German U-Boat U110 and the boost it gave to cracking the Enigma codes at Bletchley Park - enabling the sinking of the Bismarck within days. I had not previously known that the British Navy was unaware that the German Navy had broken the British codes in 1938

[Keith Gandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume was helpful to close gaps in my understanding of how the Enigma Code was cracked. I enjoyed this short, but insightful read. It explains which role the capture of enemy ships, their encoder Enigma machines and documentation played in aiding Turing and Team at Bletchley Park in breaking the German communications aiding in shortening the length of the war.

[SplkdancerReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice short piece about the British capture and breaking of the German Enigma in WWII. When I was looking for a book about WWII codebreaking, this is the story I was looking for.

While this author's other work Alan Turing: Unlocking the Enigma is focused on the technical side of codebreaking and Bletchley Park, this book is broader, providing longer historical context and touching on both the British and German sides of events while providing the action details of the actual capture.

I recommend this for anyone who wants an quick nonfiction read about the Enigma machine in WWII.

*I received a free ebook copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review of this book.

[Lizzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am fascinated with the history of the second world war being a granddaughter of two men who survived this time in history. I found it really interesting by it was connection to the work Alan Turin did as a codebreaker in Bletchley park. I got more of an idea how each section at Bletchley and else where worked and I understood more of what my grandfather in-law also did in possibly carrying important information to various places around the country. so as a person who is interested in the history this is a book that everyone should read as it will give more insight into operations such as operation primrose to which this book is dedicated in giving detail regarding the use of codes in the use of submarines and ships were and how they found

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enigma is so well-known now that we forget the difficulties for the Allies in securing its secrets. This short book describes the capture of an Enigma machine in 1941 from U110 which aided the British war effort. I especially liked the point that many of the code breakers were mavericks. There is something to be said for doing it your way.

[Nooilforpacifists · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short work describes the capture of the first intact German Naval Enigma machine, and how that provided the final breakthrough for Bletchley Park boffins.

[Dale Bay · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's helpful to read this short book before going on to Boyle's Alan Turing: Unlocking the Enigma.

I was surprised to learn the Germans were reading British naval codes from 1935 until June 1943! Googling around I couldn't find much on the work of B-dienst. That the Nazis had more secrets to work with and accomplished less than their British opposite numbers is a fascinating story that Boyle only mentions in passing.

One can only hope that Boyle, being the prolific author he is, will bring the full story to light. There is so little available in English describing the war from the enemy point of view.

[SCOTT NILES · Rating 4 out of 5]

Operation Primrose was a wonderful insight to the battle of codes. Great Britian, Germany, USA, Poland and others on how they felf secure in their ability to send secure messages, but were they? Those who took on the task of decoding were those inside or outside the box in their thinking. It was two schools of thought on how to code the war.

[NRVOUTDOORSMAN · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Rate

Excellent short account of the role of Enigma and Bletchley in the Battle if the Atlantic. Boyle is the best of the war historians today and writing id clear, concise, and easy to follow.

[Theodore Koransky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather dry but educational

Interesting for students of history. A rather dry recitation of facts with little analysis. Allows one to see the blunders created by both sides.

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for anyone wanting to look a little deeper into the Enigma story. It tells the tale of the people and missions which supplied the raw material which enabled the code breakers to do their work. The story cross references with the Enigma history and is well written in an engaging style. It's brevity gives it accessibility rather than being faced with a great historical tome. I am very grateful to have been sent an advance copy to enjoy.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well researched and interesting short book about the complexity of compiling the intelligence needed to crack the Enigma code. Excellent anecdotal evidence based on accounts of all involved. My only difficulty was remembering all the different ships and people and who belonged with who but this is probably because I am unfamiliar with all the history. Many thanks I have learnt loads.

[Ghislain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Après une plongée dans la vie d'Alan Turing, ce Kindle Single nous offre davantage une aventure collective. Le récit est rondement mené, principe d'écriture ce type d'ouvrage, et le thème naturellement passionnant. Une réussite supplémentaire de David Boyle.

[Hugh A Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read.

Excellent short read, focusses on the personalities and characters of the players involved, not too technical, keeps your interest start to finish. Highly recommended.

[Matthias Noch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well researched little book which tells an essential part of military history that normally is somehow lost in the gap between books about 'Enigma' and 'The Battle of the Atlantic'. So a highly recommended read for all mil-history buffs as well.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, yet interesting and well researched read about an aspect of WWII that I had only vague knowledge about. Additionally, it was nice to read something from the British perspective as most things I've encountered throughout my life are (understandably) from the American perspective.

[David Robinson]

Quite a readable book.

The book is fine but the way Goodreads locks you into their system to stop you leaving is awful.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short account of Ultra and the capture of U110.