|
(Conel) Hugh O'Donel Alexander (19 April 1909 – 15 February 1974) was a British cryptanalyst and chess player. He worked on the German Enigma machine at Bletchley Park during World War II, and was later the head of the cryptanalysis division at GCHQ for over 20 years. April 19 is the 109th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (110th in leap years). ...
1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...
February 15 is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...
1974 (MCMLXXIV) is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ...
Cryptanalysis (from the Greek kryptós, hidden, and analýein, to loosen or to untie) is the study of methods for obtaining the meaning of encrypted information without access to the secret information which is normally required to do so. ...
In the history of cryptography, the Enigma was a portable cipher machine used to encrypt and decrypt secret messages. ...
During World War II, British and American cryptographers at Bletchley Park broke a large number of Axis codes and ciphers, including the German Enigma machine. ...
The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) (previously named the Government Code and Cipher School (GC&CS)) is the main British intelligence service providing signals intelligence (SIGINT). ...
Codebreaking at Bletchley Park
In February 1940 Alexander arrived at Bletchley Park, the British codebreaking centre during World War II. He joined Hut 6, the section tasked with breaking German Army and Air Force Enigma messages. In 1941, he transferred to Hut 8, the corresponding hut working on Naval Enigma. He became deputy head of Hut 8 under Alan Turing. Alexander was more involved with the day-to-day operations of the hut than Turing, and, while Turing was visiting the United States, Alexander formally became the head of Hut 8 around November 1942. 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...
During World War II, British and American cryptographers at Bletchley Park broke a large number of Axis codes and ciphers, including the German Enigma machine. ...
In the history of cryptography, the Enigma was a portable cipher machine used to encrypt and decrypt secret messages. ...
For the movie, see 1941 (film) 1941 (MCMXLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...
Alan Turing is often considered the father of modern computer science. ...
In October 1944, Alexander was transferred to work on the Japanese JN-25 code. 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...
JN-25 is the name used by Western cryptography organizations for the main secure command and control communications scheme used by the Imperial Japanese Navy (JIN) during and before WWII (it was the 25th Japanese Navy system identified). ...
Career at GCHQ In mid-1946, Alexander joined GCHQ, which was the post-war successor organisation to the Government Code and Cypher School (GCCS) at Bletchley Park. By 1949, he had been promoted to the head of Section H (cryptanalysis), a post he retained until his retirement in 1971. 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ...
The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) (previously named the Government Code and Cipher School (GC&CS)) is the main British intelligence service providing signals intelligence (SIGINT). ...
1949 (MCMXLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday. ...
Cryptanalysis (from the Greek kryptós, hidden, and analýein, to loosen or to untie) is the study of methods for obtaining the meaning of encrypted information without access to the secret information which is normally required to do so. ...
1971 (MCMLXXI) is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). ...
References - H. Golombek and W. R. Hartson, The best games of C. H. O'D. Alexander (1976).
- Stuart Milner-Barry, A Tribute to Hugh Alexander, in H. Golombek and W. R. Hartson, The best games of C H O'D Alexander (1976), 1–9 [1](PDF).
- Biography by Harry Golombek, revised by Ralph Erskine, in Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford, 2004).
The Dictionary of National Biography (or DNB) is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history. ...
External links |
Feeds |
Contact