Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Conel Hugh O'Donel Alexander - Coggle Diagram
Conel Hugh O'Donel Alexander
Early life
was born on April 19th 1909 in the Southern Irish city of Cork –> spent the first 12 years of his life there
went to King Edward School, Birmingham, and on to King's College, Cambridge
World War II
The English tried to figure out the Nazi communications
From mid-1940, German Air Force signals were being read at Bletchley
the intelligence gained from the hut 8 was helping the war effort
Enigma machine
the Germans increased its security at the outbreak of war by changing the cipher system daily
The "Enigma code"
a machine known as the Bombe – invented by Turing and fellow code-breaker Gordon Welchman
–> The "Enigma code" cracked
Hugh's role in WW2: at Bletchley park
In March 1941 Hugh moved to "Hut 8," the Naval section, where he was second in command to the Prof. Turing
He became head of the section in November 1942
became head of one of the japanese Naval High-grade sections in 1943
Pop culture
The imitation game: (2014) (Oscar nominated)
Hugh Alexander played by Matthew Goode
Other great actors: Keira Knightley, Benedict Cumberbatch, Allen Leech
He was recruited to Government Code and Cipher School at Bletchley park in early 1940
Started off in Hut 6 – the Military and Air Section –> the section tasked with breaking German Army and Air Force Enigma messages
Postgraduate years
teacher for 6 years in Winchester –> to pay off his college tuition
Chess
Only trouble during university : playing too much chess
Member of the British national chess team: (British chess champion twice in 1938, 1956)
never took chess up professionally
non-playing captain of the British team in 1964-72
Books
First book: Chess. 1937. (A beginner's guide.)
Wrote about chess for his own column in
Sunday Times
in his later life
After the war: Best Games of Chess. Vol. Ill. 1946
The best book by him according to critics: The Penguin Book of Chess Positions. 1973
Wrote 7 books about chess in his lifetime
a member of the British team since 1931 until 1958 (27 years)
earned the title of International Master in 1950 – it is a lifetime title, awarded to strong chess players who are below the level of grandmaster (the best)
King's College, Cambridge (part of the university of Cambridge) –> great at creative mathematics –> postgraduate work in number theory
left teaching and became head of research at the John Lewis Partnership
Later life
Work for the government – went to work in GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) year after the end of WW2
Contribution: new methods of reading enciphered messages
never learned to program but understood computers
the loudest propagandist at GCHQ for huge increases in computer power
pushed new kinds of cryptanalysis
played chess for Britain until 1958
died on February 15th 1974, aged 64
the head of the cryptanalysis division at GCHQ for 25 years
Background
an outstanding chess-player
amongst the greatest British cryptographers
breaking Enigma code at Bletchley park
led the cryptanalysts at GCHQ for 25 years
