Royal pardon for codebreaker Alan Turing

  • 24 December 2013
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Computer pioneer and codebreaker Alan Turing has been given a posthumous royal pardon.

It addresses his 1952 conviction for homosexuality for which he was punished by being chemically castrated.

The conviction meant he lost his security clearance and had to stop the code-cracking work that had proved vital to the Allies in World War Two.

The pardon was granted under the Royal Prerogative of Mercy after a request by Justice Minister Chris Grayling.

'Appalling' treatment

"Dr Alan Turing was an exceptional man with a brilliant mind," said Mr Grayling.

He said the research Turing carried out during the war at Bletchley Park undoubtedly shortened the conflict and saved thousands of lives.

Turing's work helped accelerate Allied efforts to read German Naval messages enciphered with the Enigma machine. He also contributed some more fundamental work on codebreaking that was only released to public scrutiny in April 2012.
 
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About time, he was a genius.

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He was way ahead of his time back then, it is a pity he is not around to see what his ideas helped to build.
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Hi Jasper
 
Yes, saw this on the news yesterday.  Talk about after the fact.  It just shows how bigoted and insensitive the morals of society & officialdom where back then...and after all he did for the Allies (not just Britain) during the war.  He had no support from anyone that mattered.
 
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Baldrick

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