WWII Bletchley Park Enigma codebreaker Ruth Bourne dies aged 99
Ms Bourne's contribution to the monumental task of breaking the Nazis' Enigma cypher was "truly historic", a veterans' charity has said.
Thursday 18 December 2025 18:25, UK
Tributes have been paid to Second World War Bletchley Park codebreaker Ruth Bourne, who has died at the age of 99.
Ms Bourne, who grew up in Birmingham but lived High Barnet in north London, worked as a Bombe machine operator and checker at sites around Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire after joining the Wrens (Women's Royal Naval Service).
Wartime codebreakers used the Bombe machine to break the Enigma code used by the Nazis to encrypt messages, changing the course of the war and preventing millions of deaths.
The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans paid tribute to the role she played in cracking Enigma.
"Ruth's contribution to the monumental task of breaking the Enigma cypher was truly historic," the charity wrote on Facebook.
"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."
The day I met Ruth Bourne
Ruth Bourne was the best London tour guide you could wish for. She was a direct link to one of the most joyous nights the capital has ever seen.
In May, I joined her in a black cab for a trip to Buckingham Palace just before the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
She'd been there that day in 1945 and as we approached the palace again, her eyes lit up.
As with so many of that wartime generation, she was humble about her contribution and acutely aware of the sacrifice made by so many who weren't able to be there.
But the riotous celebration that day - and it had been pretty wild - was something she had cherished throughout her long life.
She was only too happy to relive it with us. She told me the bonfires that night represented the light after years of darkness.
She was in the middle of it all, doing the conga and partying hard. They were, without doubt, her fondest hours.
The Bombe was originally developed by Alan Turing to help work out the settings of the Naval Enigma, which was not breakable using by-hand methods at the time.
The codebreakers enabled British intelligence to move more swiftly and act upon the information the Bletchley team gave them, contributing to several key military victories during the war.
Their work also sparked the industrialisation of codebreaking and helped set the foundations for the development of the first forms of computers used today.
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In 2018, Ms Bourne received the Legion d'honneur - France's highest military honour - in recognition of her service.
Hundreds of the machines were operated by Wrens.
Ms Bourne was called up to undertake the top-secret work when she was just 18 years old.
Decades later, she returned to Bletchley Park as a tour guide and dedicated much of her later life to discussing the work that took place at and around the site during the war.
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Iain Standen, CEO of Bletchley Park Trust, told Paste BN: "The Trust was very sad to learn of Ruth's death. Beginning her career as a teen, like many of the women who worked at Bletchley Park, 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. For many years, she generously gave her time as a tour guide, helping visitors understand the human stories behind the codebreaking work.
"Through countless reunions and interviews, she spoke about her work with honesty and warmth, bringing Bletchley Park's story to life for audiences of all ages.
"She will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her and remembered with immense gratitude and affection."