Codebreaker had no idea how important her work was
A BLETCHLEY Park codebreaker awarded France’s highest honour yesterday said she did not realise the importance of her role in the war.
Lorna Cockayne, one of the last surviving Wren codebreakers, was given the Legion d’honneur by the highest ranking female officer in the Royal Navy, Commodore Judith “Jude” Terry, at a presentation ceremony held in Ferndown, Dorset.
On the 70th anniversary of D-day in June 2014, the French president announced that the Legion d’honneur would be awarded to all British veterans who fought for the liberation of France during the Second World War.
The 96-year-old, from Mudeford, Christchurch, was trained to use the Colossus computers – the first computers in the world – to crack German codes, after joining the Women’s Royal Navy Service (Wrens) in 1943.
“I was one of 600 Wrens working day and night trying to sort out the jigsaw puzzle that was Bletchley Park,” she said.
“We didn’t know what we were doing and it wasn’t for years later that I discovered exactly what we were doing, it was just the secrecy of Bletchley Park.”
Mrs Cockayne said that because of security, she was not informed of how important her role had been and is still learning more about Bletchley Park.
“Nobody told us, except that we were trying to get the messages through – no, we didn’t know what we were doing, but that was security, if you don’t know you can’t tell anybody.”
Commodore Terry said to Mrs Cockayne: “The fact you were able to crack the code that helped us win the war blows my mind and I am delighted that France has recognised you with the Legion d’honneur.”
Steve Cockayne, the youngest of her three children, said: “I feel immensely proud – she is very humble about all of this and really didn’t want a big show, but I persuaded her to accept the medal on behalf of all the Wrens.”