The Forgotten Giant of Bletchley Park Brigadier John Tiltman written by
Harold Liberty and published by Pen & Sword Books - £20 - Hardback - Pages 224
In recent years, the work of the Bletchley Park codebreakers has caught the public’s
imagination with books and films. While men such as Alan Turing and Dilly Knox have
been recognised, Brigadier John Tiltman has been hardly mentioned.
This overdue biography reveals that ‘The Brig’, as he was known, played a key role. After distinguished Great War military service, he established himself as a skilled codebreaker between the Wars, monitoring Russian and other unfriendly powers’ messages. During World War Two he was regarded as the most versatile of cryptographers, cracking a range of codes including Japanese ones. He made the first breakthrough against the German High Command Lorenz system and what he found led to the creation of machines including Colossus, the first recognisable computer. His lack of recognition may be down to his apparent lack of association with Enigma but, in truth, he was closely involved at the start.
In addition to his cryptological brilliance, ‘The Brig’ was a gifted communicator and team-builder whose character combined charm, intelligence, determination and common sense. He was key to building a special relationship with our American partners both during and after the war.
Harold Liberty’s biography shines light on a man whose contribution was essential to Britain’s survival and triumphs in the Second World War.
I must admit I have heard of the Enigma machine, Alan Turing, Codebreaking at Bletchley Park and I’ve even visited the museum site, but I have little knowledge of Brigadier John Tiltman. So in a way it has been great to read about this man and his influence on the codebreaking world at Bletchley and his success. John Tiltman it turns out was a man of great experience, especially in the Great War and was able to establish himself as a leading mathematician and codebreaker specialising in European languages like German and Russian. While it seems shameful having not previously heard about him, it was great to read about him and the importance he had on breaking codes and advancing the first computer. This book is an interesting read about a very interesting man.
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