Hijacking Enigma: The Insider′s Tale - Hardcover

Large, Christine

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0470863463 ISBN 13: 9780470863466

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, 2003

Synopsis

The theft from Bletchley Park in 2000 of the legendary Enigma machine, the device used by the Allies to decode German messages during World War II, was an altogether novel and frightening twist on recent history. Closely followed by the British media, the theft of the Enigma machine was later revealed to be part of a well-orchestrated hate campaign against Bletchley Park's new director, Christine Large. Hijacking Enigma is her story, a harrowing insider's look at what's it's like to be at the centre of a complex cat-and-mouse game and media frenzy.

About this title

About the Author

Christine Large continues a line of individualistic Bletchley Park directors. Her career began with a law degree and includes private sector business roles and voluntary work. She has been employed by the National Federation of Women?s Institutes, has been a university lecturer in business studies, a CBI London council member, chaired the governing body of London?s largest state primary school and chaired a national charity.
She helped Bletchley Park as a volunteer for 18 months before being appointed its Director in 1998. Christine?s mother-in-law worked at Bletchley Park during the war and her father-in-law retrieved Allied spies from overseas for Special Operations Executive. Her mission is to build on the codebreaking pioneers? work, transforming the site into a heritage park famed for education and technology innovation.
Christine lives in London and is married with two daughters. Her hobbies include playing the cello and learning Russian.

From the Back Cover

On April Fool’s Day 2000 a rare and highly valued Enigma machine was stolen from Bletchley Park, which used to be Winston Churchill’s top secret Second World War code breaking operation. The machine, known as an Abwehr, serial number G312, had been used by German military intelligence staff during World War II to encrypt high-level messages. The theft was the culmination of a hate campaign against Bletchley Park’s Director. Death threats to the Director preceded a series of notes demanding money for the machine’s return.

A major police operation was launched but little progress was made until part of the machine was finally posted to TV presenter, Jeremy Paxman at the BBC. Efforts continued to recover the remainder of the machine and an arrest was finally made.

Christine Large, Director of Bletchley Park, skilfully interweaves the original stories of Enigma escapades, containing significant new material, with that of this most recent twist in its astonishing history.

A major police operation was launched but little progress was made until part of the machine was finally posted to TV presenter, Jeremy Paxman at the BBC. Efforts continued to recover the remainder of the machine and an arrest was finally made.

Christine Large, Director of Bletchley Park, skilfully interweaves the original stories of Enigma escapades, containing significant new material, with that of this most recent twist in its astonishing history.

Edition details

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0470863463
• ISBN 13: 9780470863466
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 302