London, April 2, 2025 – The Europe Today: Charlotte “Betty” Webb, one of the United Kingdom’s oldest surviving World War II code-breakers, has passed away at the age of 101, the Women’s Royal Army Corps Association (WRAC) confirmed on Tuesday.
A Life of Service in Intelligence
Webb was a key figure at Bletchley Park, the top-secret British code-breaking center, where she worked to sort and index intercepted Nazi communications after they had been deciphered. As a fluent German speaker, her role was to reorder decoded messages to prevent the enemy from realizing that their transmissions were being intercepted.
Her intelligence work continued in the United States, where she was assigned to The Pentagon, assisting the American war effort in the Pacific theater by paraphrasing intercepted Japanese messages.
Honors and Legacy
For her outstanding service, Webb was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2015 and received France’s highest distinction, the Legion d’Honneur, in 2021.
She remained a champion of female veterans, inspiring generations of women in the Army. “Betty inspired women in the Army for decades, and we will continue to take pride in her service during WWII and beyond,” the WRAC said in a statement.
Keeping the Story of Bletchley Park Alive
Webb kept her wartime work secret until 1975 but later dedicated much of her life to educating the public about Bletchley Park’s role in the war. She gave talks at schools, wrote a book about her experiences, and was a strong advocate for preserving the history of Bletchley Park—which was featured in the 2014 film The Imitation Game.
In recognition of her contributions, Webb was invited to King Charles III’s coronation in 2023, where she had a front-row seat—an experience she described as “magnificent.”
Originally from Wythall, near Birmingham, Webb initially worked at Bletchley Park as a secretary before her remarkable skill in handling intercepted messages earned her a key role in intelligence operations.
Her legacy as a code-breaker, veteran advocate, and educator will remain an inspiration for generations to come.
