ALAN HARDIE reports. 

Doug Pyle from Bolwarra Heights was a key member of an ace-code breaking unit in Australia that smashed the Japanese cypher system during the war.

As he nears his 92nd birthday, Mr Pyle spoke to The Maitland Mercury about whistleblower Edward Snowden and of how the world of code-breaking “ethics” has changed.

Mr Pyle didn’t start his service with the Central Bureau Intelligence Corps in Australia as a volunteer.

In his own words, he was “shanghaied” into the code-breaking business exactly two days before the bombing of Pearl Harbour, which happened on December 7, 1941.

Now a great grandfather with three great grandchildren, Mr Pyle will be 92 in October.

He described himself as a pacifist.

But the world of spies and code-breakers seems to have changed a great deal since the days when he and his comrades monitored Japanese Navy and aircraft movements from their decrypted codes.

“In those days, we didn’t have people like Edward Snowden,” he said.

The whistleblower Snowden is still living in Moscow where he fled after leaking classified documents about United States surveillance programs more than a year ago.

“Snowden caused the most horrific problems for intelligence services, governments and diplomats throughout the western world,” Mr Pyle said.

“I believe he certainly overstepped the mark. What he did would never have happened in our day.

“People are much more open today and ready to speak out.

“But times were different then too I suppose: we were fighting a war that we just had to win.

“And I am proud to have been part of the Government Code and Cypher School – an extension of the Ultra team at Bletchley Park in England – that did our bit to achieve this.”

Mr Pyle has written a book about his work there – The Ultra Experience.

“But I thought it was time now to speak up about situations, such as that of Edward Snowden, so people know the importance of what we did,” he said.

“When your country is under threat as Australia was during the war, it is important to realise that what may often seem irksome and inconseq must be done.

“No one who served with the Central Bureau Intelligence Corps can ever freely disclose details of its inner workings – even today,” he said.

“But while it is important that people know what we did, the ­importance of maintaining careful watch for a caring society must also be understood.”

Mr Pyle believes everyone should realise that all countries tap into other countries’ signals.

“It’s all about keeping an eye on Australia’s security,” he said.

“Everyone does it – they listen to us and we listen to them.

“It is a sensible thing to do, ­particularly these days.

“Any little lead we can pick up keeps us a step ahead – we would be silly not to do this.”

After being called up as an infantry instructor in 1941, Mr Pyle was ­preparing to be sent to New Guinea to fight the Japanese.

Then he was switched into dealing with messages from decoded Japanese cyphers.

“We entered a new world of sorting meanings out from the information coming from decoded sources,” Mr Pyle said.

“We would hear of certain ships going from one place to another, or of aircraft movements that would mean something would be happening ­somewhere.”

He was also on the spot when a most important decoded message came through: that Admiral Yamamoto 

who master-minded the Pearl Harbour operation would be flying into Rabaul in New Guinea on a certain date and time.

“The Americans had the same ­information when we got it – like us, they were listening in to Japanese codes too,”Mr Pyle said.

“I remember the code phrase ‘preparing a pork tea’ which meant he would be coming,” Mr Pyle said.

“It was only after the war, when American fighters ambushed the 

admiral’s aircraft and shot it down, that I found out exactly what that message had meant.”

He remembered his band of code-breakers being 30 strong when they had one of their first reunions after the war.

“There are fewer than 10 of us left now and our reunions often comprise many wives of members and their sons and daughters,” Mr Pyle said.

“But I am proud of the work we all did.

“We helped to win the war that I believe we had to win.

“And I firmly believe that all free societies must continue to keep ahead in the intelligence game.”