100 years ago today Alan Turing was born. Today in front of his college, King’s, a blue plaque was unveiled.
It states:
Alan Turing 1912-1954
Mathematician, computer pioneer and code breaker.
Turing for many was the “father” of modern computers. While at King’s he was whisked away to Bletchly Park where he, with others, played a crucial part in the 2nd World War. They broke the “unbreakable” Enigma code. Nazi messages could now be intercepted and the positions of the deadly U-Boats in the Atlantic became known to the Allies. As a direct consequence countless lives were saved.
After the war Turing, a homosexual when it was still illegal, was compromised. In 1954 he took his own life. Today marks another step in recognising his great achievements.