Bletchley Park codebreaker was a warm man with time for everyone
SIR Eric McDowell, who died recently aged 92, was a former member of the Bletchley Park code-breaking centre during the Second World War.
When asked by his son Martin much later if he was there when they broke the Enigma Code, he replied: “No, but I was in a hut close by.”
In a distinguished business career, Sir Eric was a former chairman of the Industrial Development Board and a former president of the Irish Institute of Chartered Accounts.
Eric Wallace McDowell was born on June 7, 1925, and was educated at Inchmarlo and RBAI, with which he maintained a close connection. He was a board member of Inst for 53 years and chairman for 10. He was also an ex-president of the Belfast Old Instonians Association.
When Eric McDowell left Inst in 1943, he was immediately reDeloitte cruited into Military Intelligence and served for over three years with the Bletchley Park groups.
Sir Eric never spoke openly about his role, but his discharge papers commended him for his “exceptional service”. His name is listed on the Bletchley Park Roll of Honour. He had worked as a codebreaker on the Japanese Emperor codes and learned Japanese.
After the war he qualified as an accountant and led a local company, where he was a senior partner, into a merger with Haskins and Sells.
Sir Eric had a deep Christian faith and was an elder of Townsend Street Church and later of Malone Presbyterian Church, where his funeral took place earlier this week. He was formerly a board member of the Trustees of the Presbyterian Church, a board member and treasurer of the Abbeyfield Society and chairman of Relate Marriage Guidance.
Sir Eric was also a member of the Senate of Queen’s University, which awarded him an honorary degree. He was chairman of the IDB at a time when the Troubles made inward investment difficult. In 1982 he was awarded a CBE for services to industry and was knighted in 1990.
He was a popular man who had time for everyone. His son Martin, in a warm tribute at his funeral, recalled once asking his father why he delayed to stop and chat to a doorman of his office building.
Sir Eric replied: “Son, that man’s wife is unwell at the moment and I wanted to see how things were going. You must treat people with respect, no matter what they do for a living.”
Martin recalled: “I genuinely do not know anyone who cared less for personal possessions. He was all about looking after his family, friends and colleagues.”
Sir Eric is survived by Helen, his wife of more than 63 years, son Martin, daughters Jay and Claire, daughter-in-law Debbie, son-in-law Nigel and grandchildren Mark, Jonathan, Andrew, Jamie, Alix and Krissy.