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Queen unveils Bletchley tribute to WWII codebreakers | Queen unveils Bletchley tribute to WWII codebreakers |
(40 minutes later) | |
The Queen has paid tribute to the codebreakers who worked at Bletchley Park, the secret cypher base in WWII which broke the German Enigma codes. | The Queen has paid tribute to the codebreakers who worked at Bletchley Park, the secret cypher base in WWII which broke the German Enigma codes. |
She said it was impossible to over-state the "deep sense of admiration, gratitude and national debt" owed to such a "remarkable group of people". | |
The Queen unveiled a memorial to remember those codebreakers who have died. | |
Some of the surviving codebreakers were present for the event. | Some of the surviving codebreakers were present for the event. |
Historians estimate that breakthroughs at Bletchingly shortened the war by two years. | |
Though the role codebreaking played in the war is now widely celebrated in films such as Enigma, for 30 years after the end of the war Bletchley Park's role remained a secret. | Though the role codebreaking played in the war is now widely celebrated in films such as Enigma, for 30 years after the end of the war Bletchley Park's role remained a secret. |
Its existence was one of the most closely guarded secrets in WWII; its contribution to the Allied victory in that conflict was such that one historian has said that without it, the war would have lasted for at least two more years. | Its existence was one of the most closely guarded secrets in WWII; its contribution to the Allied victory in that conflict was such that one historian has said that without it, the war would have lasted for at least two more years. |
It was at Bletchley Park that some of Britain's best crossword experts, mathematicians and chess champions wrestled with the supposedly unbreakable German radio messages sent with their Enigma encryption machines. | It was at Bletchley Park that some of Britain's best crossword experts, mathematicians and chess champions wrestled with the supposedly unbreakable German radio messages sent with their Enigma encryption machines. |
That they did break the Enigma codes made an incalculable contribution to the battle of the Atlantic, allowing the movement of U-Boats to be discovered | That they did break the Enigma codes made an incalculable contribution to the battle of the Atlantic, allowing the movement of U-Boats to be discovered |
Simon Greenish, director of the Bletchley Park Trust, said: "Nobody knew what had gone on at Bletchley Park for in excess of 30 years after the war, and only then the stories started to come out. So I think there's certainly an argument that the codebreakers are being recognised late in the day for what they did. | Simon Greenish, director of the Bletchley Park Trust, said: "Nobody knew what had gone on at Bletchley Park for in excess of 30 years after the war, and only then the stories started to come out. So I think there's certainly an argument that the codebreakers are being recognised late in the day for what they did. |
"There is no doubt that it shortened the war by several years and saved many many lives in the process," he said. | |
"Some historians are beginning to think that perhaps it was the bit that made the difference." | |
During her visit, the Queen saw the restoration of a Colossus machine and an Enigma display, before seeing a rebuilt working Turing Bombe machine which was used to crack the codes. | During her visit, the Queen saw the restoration of a Colossus machine and an Enigma display, before seeing a rebuilt working Turing Bombe machine which was used to crack the codes. |
More than 9,000 staff worked at the Government Code and Cypher school, as Bletchley Park was known. | More than 9,000 staff worked at the Government Code and Cypher school, as Bletchley Park was known. |
Two years ago commemorative badges were awarded by the government to surviving staff. | |
The memorial was designed and sculpted by the artist Charles Gurrey. |