Wired For The War? The Role Of British Telegraphy And Communication Networks In World War II

Loughborough University London, BT Group Archives, and PK Porthcurno: Global Museum of Communication are pleased to invite applications for a collaborative AHRC PhD studentship commencing in October 2025. This opportunity is offered under the Collaborative Doctoral Award scheme funded by Techne.

This studentship—funded by the Techne AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership—focuses on the under-researched theme of the intersection between military and communication technologies. It aims to generate new knowledge about the history of military communications during the Second World War. The successful candidate will work across academic, heritage, and archival contexts, gaining unique experience in this interdisciplinary field.

The project will be supervised by Dr. Burçe Çelik (Loughborough University London), Dr. Sam Edwards (Loughborough University), Anne Archer (BT Group Archives), James Elderan (BT Group Archives), Julia Twomlow (PK Porthcurno), and Charlotte Todd (PK Porthcurno). The student will be based at Loughborough University London and will spend time conducting research at BT Group Archives in London and PK Porthcurno in Cornwall. The studentship can be undertaken on either a full-time or part-time basis.

We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and non-standard pathways and are committed to fostering inclusivity. Applicants should hold a Master’s degree in a relevant field or demonstrate equivalent experience in a professional setting.

Project overview

This project investigates the militarisation of communications during World War II, a critical period that marked the deep entanglement of military and communication technologies—a relationship that continues to shape the modern world. It has three key objectives:

1. To explore the historical interconnection between the military and communications technologies by focusing on British telecommunications corporations, their workers, technologies, and infrastructures.
2. To advance scholarship and archival skills in the relatively underdeveloped field of military communications history, contributing to both national and international knowledge production.
3. To produce accessible public history and enhance collective memory of World War II by uncovering the roles played by British telecommunications companies, workers, and technologies. This will involve using the rich but underexplored collections of BT Group Archives and PK Porthcurno.

In the broader context of the decolonisation of media, communication studies, and science and technology histories, this project critically examines the militarisation of communication technologies and networks. Often perceived as tools of progress, democracy, and cultural globalisation, these technologies also played a pivotal role in military strategies. This research thus contributes to ongoing efforts to decolonise knowledge in these fields.

The successful candidate will engage in extensive archival research and contribute to public engagement activities, including an exhibition and presentations. They will also produce academic outputs, supported by the supervisory team.

Apply now: https://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research-degrees/phd-opportunities/wired-for-the-war/