Members attending our monthly Zoom meeting on Monday were expecting a talk by Peter Yeoman, about a race across the USA in Model T Ford's.

Sadly Peter was indisposed, but Club Member Ray Mayes compensated with an intriguing talk entitled "Bulldog and Primrose". 

On 9th May 1941, Lt. Cmdr. David Balme DSC of HMS Bulldog, boarded a sinking German submarine U-110 and recovered an Enigma coding machine, together with intelligence material that proved to be of inestimable value to Bletchley Park.

“Operation Primrose”, as the capture was named by The Admiralty, was kept secret to prevent the German’s learning their Naval Codes had been broken.  “The Secret Capture” remained an Ultra Secret for over 40 years.

Ray’s talk described the capture of U-110 and the subsequent career and life of David Balme, up to his retirement and eventual death in Lymington in 2016, aged 96.

Our next Zoom meeting is on 10th May, when our speaker Alan Jones will explain: "It's Not What You Say".