Two Welsh women who worked as codebreakers during World War Two have celebrated their 100th birthdays together. Gwenfron Picken turned 100 on February 29, 2024 and Kath Morris reached the same milestone a week later on March 7.
Both women worked at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire, a Victorian mansion that was the centre of Allied codebreaking during the war. They didn't know each other until they met at their joint birthday party, organised by Jackie Bates and the local Mother's Union at St Theodore's Parish Hall, Port Talbot.
Bletchley Park was the UK's secret codebreaking headquarters during World War Two. Coded messages from the Nazis were intercepted and translated at the school.
The ladies were greeted by Captain Huw Williams MBE DL RLC, representing the Lord Lieutenant of West Glamorgan's office and Finola Pickwell, the Regional Armed Forces Liaison Officer (AFLO) for this area. Finola Pickwell said: "It was delightful the ladies could meet at last after bothworking during wartime at Bletchley Park
"Those at Bletchley Park played a key role in shortening World War II by providing the Allies with a flood of high grade military intelligence which gave them the edge on land, sea and in the air."
