History of Locks
Secrets from the History of Locks Museum
Locks by their very nature are designed to keep things safe ; this is true not least for applications at a personal or domestic level through to multi-national entities and governments . Here at the History of Locks Museum , our archives reveal all sorts of back stories that bring further interest to our locks ; this story is set in those years of World War II .
Bode-Panzer , Enigma & WWII
By Brian Morland ; curator of the History of Locks Museum
» THE ENIGMA CYPHER MACHINE used by the German military during World War II was the subject of intense activity by the allies . The Poles did some sterling initial work in deciphering the codes ; however the German navy were far more rigorous in using the machine to its full capacity than their Army counterparts ; it was Alan Turing and his Team at Bletchley Park that eventually cracked the navy codes .
Just before the war a new German foreign minister ( 1938-1945 ) was appointed to the UK , Joachim von Ribbentrop , he had brought with him a couple of top of the range safes made by Bode-Panzer each fitted with dual Tangential locks for use in the London Embassy . The safes duly arriving at Southampton docks ; Chubb was given the task of moving them up to the German Embassy in London .
Arthur Bryant headed up the gang tasked with the move . Chubb with its established links to MI5 / MI6 was asked to arrange a minor fault on one of the locks with the view to retuning to the Embassy to affect an adjustment / repair . In reality Bryant was given a crash course in exactly what was required including the viability of the locks . In due course and as expected a call came through to Chubb to rectify a minor fault on one of the locks and Bryant was sent to ‘ rectify ’ the problem . Part of his brief was to memorise the keys , something any
A Tangential lock typically used to secure the compartments housing the Enigma machine , rotors and code books on battleships and U-boats . This example in an explosion proof case .
competent locksmith does every day on ordinary locks , and assess the locks vulnerability to instruments . His short answer on both counts after his visit was – ‘ not a chance ’. The key had four webs or bits each differing and these webs or bits contain in addition to normal cuts also numerous angle cuts , oblique cuts and lateral slots some of which were machined into the stem , all of which were essential for proper operation . All this made the reading of the key combination impossible in the short time available . Add to this the fact that these safes were fitted with a ‘ lafette ’. This is a device where a key , much shorter than the door thickness is pushed into the lock , much like the breach of a gun , the lock then operated
The safe version with the lafette , the key is inserted and then propelled into the lock and turned to lock / unlock . A casual observer might mistake the dial style knob as a combination lock dial .
A typical key as used on battleships and U-boats . These keys were virtually indestructible made from high grade steel and cyanide hardened .
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MAY / JUN 2021
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