THESE pupils were fascinated by an enigmatic visitor to their school yesterday.

They got to see and touch one of the original Enigma machines used by Germans in the Second World War to code their messages.

Early computers changed their own code at least once a day, offering 159 trillion possible solutions.

The encryptions were eventually cracked by the brightest minds of their generation at the UK’s Bletchley Park, among them Alan Turing.

An expert historian from Bletchley Park Education and Outreach team brought the machine to King Alfred’s Academy in Wantage.

Reuben Paget, 13, said: “I really enjoyed the opportunity.

“It was really interesting and I learnt a lot. It helped broaden my mind and think about how I could use my Maths skills in other ways.”

The students got to join workshops on code-breaking and its uses during World War II and today.

They also heard the story of Bletchley Park and the extraordinary intelligence, innovation and creative displayed by all who worked there.

 

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