Margaret MacFarlane, a Scottish codebreaker who cracked Nazi secrets during World War II, has passed away at the age of 102. She was one of the last surviving codebreakers.
MacFarlane was so secretive about her role that she allegedly kept her role a secret for more than 30 years. Her grandson, Jamie MacFarlane, celebrated his grandmother’s legacy as being one of the only women to be able to use the world-famous Enigma machine.
According to the Scottish Daily Record, she signed the Official Secrets Act and was sworn to secrecy, taking it so seriously that she wouldn’t even tell her closest family members. When she shared her involvement years later, her family members were shocked.
One notable teammate of hers was Alan Turing, the codebreaker at the center of the story for the award-winning film The Imitation Game.
She was just 22-years-old and working as a secretary when she was recruited to join this top-secret team. Recruiters wanted women with good typing and math skills, and she fit the bill perfectly.
Margaret fit the bill
Margaret was a 22-year-old secretary when she was recruited to join the Enigma team, which also successfully broke the codes of the enemy Italian and Japanese forces.
The government was looking for women with good typing and mathematical skills, and Margaret fit the bill.
Margaret served at Bletchley Park between 1942 and 1945. On her 90th birthday, her former colleagues from her Bletchley Park undercover days were gathered for a reunion.
