V1, V2 & V3

In March 1943, two German Generals at Trent Park were overheard discussing the fall of the city of Stalingrad. One General turned to the other and said that 'Germany does not have to worry about this major defeat because Hitler has the secret weapon that will win the war'. The M Room operators recorded every word. A week later, lower rank prisoners at Latimer House also spoke about the 'secret weapon'. Mention was made of Peenemünde, a site on the Northern coast of Germany. As a direct result of these conversations, the RAF instructed reconnaissance flights over Peenemünde to photograph it. The results showed British Intelligence that Hitler was developing his deadly V1, a pilot-less flying bomb. On the night of 18th August 1943, Churchill ordered the bombing of Peenemünde. The price was high and resulted in the death of over 400 airmen, but in the end it saved even more lives because it delayed Hitler's V1 programme. In 1944, Hitler successfully managed to launch the V1s against British cities, causing mass devastation and death. Later, the secret listeners picked up information about the V2 and V3 weapons which were made from very advanced technology. Hitler planned to send 300 of the V2s to London each day. That would have cost Britain the war.