Tessa Dunlop has reflected on the incredible life of 101-year-old war veteran Betty Webb as she sat down for an emotional interview ten years on from writing about her.
Webb, who was written about in Tessa’s book The Bletchley Girls, was one of the many women who worked on the secret code-cracking operations in World War Two.
As a young woman, Webb lived in Hitler’s Germany and was later selected for work in the mansion at Bletchley Park.
Speaking to Tessa on GB News, Webb admitted they had “no idea” of the importance of the work they were doing in the war.
Tessa Dunlop spoke to war veteran Betty Webb, who was one of the Bletchley Girls in WW2
GB News
Webb revealed: “We were all obliged to sign the Official Secrets Act, and from then on until 1975, it’s a long time, a long time. And none of us were able to talk about anything.
“So all I knew about was the office that I was working in, in the mansion with a major tester who was a German specialist.”
Noting her teenage years in Germany, Webb highlighted how “disturbing” some aspects of her life were, particularly witnessing adults being “fearful” of Hitler.
Webb explained: “I was in Germany for about three months, living with a German family, and there were two daughters, and I went to school with them.
Webb told GB News that she was picked to work at Bletchley as she ‘spoke German’
GB News
“The only thing that was a little bit disturbing was the fact that quite obviously a lot of the local, middle aged people were very concerned about Hitler in the school. They were all expected to say Heil Hitler, and the older generation didn’t like that.”
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Following the breakout of the war, Webb revealed that she “never spoke to the girls again”, noting it was “quite sad”.
Webb stated: “It was a situation I had no control over, but it was quite sad in a way, because I never communicated with them again. There was no way I could.”
The 101-year-old was then selected to work at Bletchley Park, which became a significant wartime project. Webb told Tessa that while her interview was in London it was conducted “in German”.
Webb said: “I’d put in my notes that I spoke German, and I think that was what prompted the powers that be to send me to an interview in London, which was in German.
The 101-year-old veteran said she ‘never gave it a second thought’ for many years
GB News
“At the end of the day, the army major in the Intelligence Corps said ‘here you are, get yourself to Bletchley’.”
When asked by Tessa how she reflects on her life at 101-years-old, Webb admitted that it is a “privilege” and an “honour” to have experienced the Bletchley Girls and take on the work she did in the war.
Webb told GB News: “I’m just beginning to realise that it was a tremendous honour and something I’m proud of. There were many years when I never gave it a second thought, funnily enough. But now, especially this last year or two, I’ve been made much more aware of the fact that I had a small part in it.
“Looking back of my life, I think I’ve been extremely privileged. Many members of my family have lived to be over a hundred – it’s just fortunate that I’m in a family that does live a long, good life.”
