Bletchley Park veteran dies aged 101

A World War Two veteran who worked at the UK's codebreaking headquarters has died aged 101.

Gladys Lewis, from East Yorkshire, was awarded France's highest honour late last year for her work at Bletchley Park.

Her job involved typing up transcripts of decoded Nazi intelligence and she kept her vital work secret from her family for 50 years.

At the time of receiving the award, Mrs Lewis said she felt "proud" and hoped the messages were "doing some good".

Mrs Lewis, who grew up in Sproatley, near Hull, arrived at Bletchley in 1942 as a young member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF).

In an interview with the BBC last year, she said she had no idea of what took place there and the posting had come "out of the blue".

Mrs Lewis signed the Official Secrets Act and said secrecy was "drummed into you".

Even those working in different huts did not talk to each other about their roles, she added.

Mrs Lewis was put forward for the Legion of Honour after two ex-servicemen from Bridlington – Martin Barmby and James Riley – applied to the French government on her behalf.

"She knew it was an important job. But she's a very humble lady, so she probably wouldn't tell you that herself," said Mr Riley.

Friends and family paid tribute to Mrs Lewis, with one person describing her as an "extraordinary and amazing woman".

Another said she always "lived life to the full".

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