Betty Webb (code breaker) facts for kids

Charlotte Elizabeth Webb, MBE (née Vine-Stevens; born 13 May 1923) was an English codebreaker who worked at Bletchley Park during World War II at the age of 18. Starting in 1941 she joined the British Auxiliary Territorial Service. She said, of joining the top-secret mission at Bletchley, "I wanted to do something more for the war effort than bake sausage rolls."

Webb grew up with a German au pair before becoming an exchange student in Germany. Upon arrival at Bletchley she was tasked with cataloguing encrypted German radio messages intercepted by the British, contributing to the breaking of the German cipher Enigma. During her time at Bletchley she also worked on intercepted Japanese messages. After the war ended in Europe, Webb traveled to Washington D.C. to assist the Americans with the war in the Pacific.

Webb was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2015 Birthday Honours "for services to remembering and promoting the work of Bletchley Park." In 2021, Webb's work at Bletchley Park was recognized by the government of France, with her appointment as Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour).

As of February 2021, Webb lived in Worcestershire, England. She turned 100 in May 2023.

See also

• Women in Bletchley Park