The Bletchley Park code breaker, Charlotte “Betty” Webb, has died on the age of 101, the Girls’s Royal Military Corps Affiliation (WRACA) has confirmed.
Arriving at Bletchley from the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) aged simply 18, Webb spent 4 years through the second world warfare on the code-breaking centre working in numerous roles.
Webb, from Wythall in Worcestershire, intercepted German police messages, which revealed the start of the Holocaust, and paraphrased decoded Japanese messages for the Pentagon within the US.
Confirming her demise, the WRACA stated on Fb: “Betty impressed girls within the Military for many years and we’ll proceed to take satisfaction in her service throughout WWII and past, and as a champion of feminine veterans.
Enable Fb content material?
This text consists of content material supplied by Fb. We ask to your permission earlier than something is loaded, as they might be utilizing cookies and different applied sciences. To view this content material, click on ‘Enable and proceed’.
Chatting with the Guardian in 2018, Webb admitted she was unaware of the importance behind the advanced codes she was breaking.
“The messages have been in teams of 5 letters or figures in morse code – nothing was clear in any respect. Some dates appeared. It was whole gibberish, however you needed to register all the things, so senior individuals might name on a date or message at any time. We knew little or no of what was occurring. We actually have been at nighttime.”
Webb was appointed MBE in 2015 and Knight of the Légion d’Honneur in 2021, a prestigious order of advantage awarded for each army and civil service in France.
She was president of the WRACA Birmingham department.
In a press release, Bletchley Park stated her contributions to the property’s work through the second world warfare and to making sure its legacy, would “by no means be forgotten”.
They stated: “Betty was not solely a member of the unbelievable group at Bletchley Park throughout world warfare two, however she additionally devoted a lot of her life to elevating the profile of Bletchley Park in newer years.
“Her tireless efforts in bringing the historical past of Bletchley Park to a wider viewers, by way of sharing the tales of those that labored right here, helped make sure that the very important function of Bletchley Park throughout world warfare two and its affect on the battle was recognised.
“Betty’s ardour for preserving the historical past and legacy of Bletchley Park has undoubtedly impressed many individuals to interact with the story and go to the location. Betty’s affect at Bletchley Park shall be remembered for a few years to come back.”
Tess Dunlop, historian and broadcaster, stated she was with Webb on her remaining day. Posting on X, Dunlop stated: “Betty was the perfect. I used to be fortunate sufficient to carry her hand yesterday as she gently glided to a different place. She is among the most exceptional lady I’ve ever recognized.”
Betty Webb MBE, Bletchley Park and ATS veteran, an distinctive one that grew in outdated age, has died aged 101.
Betty was the perfect. I used to be fortunate sufficient to carry her hand yesterday as she gently glided to a different place. She is among the most exceptional lady I’ve ever recognized pic.twitter.com/n9bKs8XcUP
— Dr Tessa Dunlop (@Tessadunlop) April 1, 2025
A German speaker, Webb’s job was taking decoded messages and reordering the unencrypted wording to be despatched to allied commanders, in order that if intercepted by the enemy, they’d not uncover their transmissions have been being deciphered.
She was 18 and learning at home science school close to Shrewsbury in Shropshire when she and several other others on her course determined to serve.
She accomplished her fundamental coaching in Wrexham on the Royal Welch Fusiliers’ barracks earlier than being taken to London for an interview after which instantly to Bletchley Park.
Webb by no means instructed anybody about her work and it remained a secret till 1975. She was by no means in a position to inform her dad and mom as they’d already died.
From then, she gave talks to varsities and different organisations and wrote a e book about her experiences.
