Tributes have been paid to Ruth Bourne, a Bletchley Park codebreaker whose work during the Second World War helped crack the Nazis’ Enigma cipher, who has died aged 99.
Ms Bourne, originally from Birmingham and later a resident of High Barnet in north London, joined the Women’s Royal Naval Service (Wrens) and worked as a Bombe machine operator and checker at sites across Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire.
The Bombe machines, originally developed by Alan Turing, were instrumental in deciphering Nazi-encrypted messages, a breakthrough that significantly shortened the war and saved millions of lives.
The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans paid tribute, calling Ms Bourne’s contribution to breaking Enigma “truly historic”. They added: “Ruth was a remarkable woman with immense charm and charisma, and she will be dearly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her.”
From teen codebreaker to Bletchley ambassador
Ms Bourne was called up for the top-secret work at just 18 years old, joining hundreds of other Wrens who operated the complex machines. Their efforts not only provided critical intelligence for wartime operations but also laid the foundations for modern computing.
In recognition of her service, Ms Bourne was awarded the Légion d’honneur, France’s highest military accolade, in 2018.
Decades after the war, she returned to Bletchley Park as a tour guide, dedicating much of her later life to sharing the stories of the men and women who worked behind the scenes.
Iain Standen, CEO of the Bletchley Park Trust, said: “Ruth was extremely proud of her contribution to the war effort. Once the veil of secrecy had been lifted, she was passionate about sharing the story of the work that she and her colleagues had undertaken. She will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her and remembered with immense gratitude and affection.”
Her passing marks the loss of one of the last surviving members of the extraordinary team whose secret work helped change the course of history.
