From: "Clive" <walmsley@ccint1.rsre.mod.uk>
Date: Wed, 19 May 93 02:05:05 PDT
To: "cypherpunks" <cypherpunks@toad.com>
Subject: REF ... GCHQ
Message-ID: <9305190904.AA22545@toad.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Ref the GCHQ question,

I have posted to this group previously, ie yesterday, details on GCHQ,
and I wish to take issue with

>>>Duncan Frissell <76630.3577@CompuServe.COM>  To: <cypherpunks@toad.com>    
   
Original Question >>>What does GCHQ stand for, and what does it do? 
Is it similar to the NSA?

Duncan replied

>> The Royal Signals Establishment at Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, 
>> England is known as General Communications Head Quarters (GCHQ).  
>> It is also called 'Cheltenham' after its location.  
>> It performs many of the same sigint jobs as NSA.

THIS IS WRONG .....

GCHQ stands for the Government Communications HeadQuarters. They are part of
the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. They have NOTHING to do with the
Ministry of Defence.

The Royal Signals Establishment, when it existed, it closed in about 1970
was located at Christchurch. It amalgamated with the Royal Radar 
Establishment at Malvern to form the Royal Signals & Radar Establishment
(RSRE) with the prime site being at Malvern.

They were once more reformed 2 years ago to become the Defence Research
Agency, which includes the prime non-nuclear research establishments in the
UK. FYI these are RSRE at Malvern, at Fort Halstead the Royal Armaments 
Research & Develeopment Establishment, at Farnborough the Royal Aircraft 
Establishment and at Portland, the Admiralty Research Establishment
(They upset the monarchy about the turn of the century and as a result 
have never received the Royal Charter)

Let me say again that GCHQ or it's groups have nothing at all to do
with the MoD and that the Royal Signals Establishment (or even the Royal
Signals & Radar Establishment) are not located at Cheltenham and are
not associated with GCHQ!!!!


Clive Walmsley
Walmsley@ccint1.rsre.mod.uk