BILL TUTTE CODEBREAKER
'THE GREATEST INTELLECTUAL FEAT OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR.'
… a testimonial to Bill Tutte and his codebreaking discovery in 1942 at Bletchley Park.
Bill Tutte was a young, gauche PhD student, yet his remarkable breakthrough and continuing endeavour against a German cipher machine more complex than Enigma led to the development of the world's first programmable computer, Colossus. Colossus allowed top-secret messages between Hitler and his generals to be read within hours, contributing significantly to the success of the D-Day landings and the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany.
So secret were the functions performed by Colossus that the work of Bill Tutte and his colleagues was classified for more than 50 years after the end of the Second World War.
This novel not only explores Bill Tutte's codebreaking, but also examines his 'autistic' character, his background and close relationships all woven into the pressures and diversions of life at Bletchley Park.
Prime Minister David Cameron wrote in 2012:
We should never forget how lucky we were to have men like William 'Bill' Tutte in our darkest hour and the extent to which their work not only helped protect Britain itself but also shorten the war by an estimated two years, saving countless lives. … I can say without doubt that Bill Tutte deserves the thanks of the British people.
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