Betty Webb: Thousands wish codebreaker, 100, happy birthday

More than 11,000 people from all over the world have wished 100-year-old codebreaker Betty Webb a happy birthday as she celebrated at Bletchley Park.

Mrs Webb, from Worcestershire, worked at the Buckinghamshire base analysing coded German communications.

A Facebook post from BBC Radio WM congratulating her on the milestone received comments from Zambia, the US and Australia.

"That is amazing," she said when told by presenter Kathryn Stanczyszyn.

Some of the messages were read out to her on Monday before Mrs Webb thanked everyone for their kind words.

Jonathan Kruger in Zambia wrote: "Happy Birthday, God Bless you on your Special Day. Thank you so much for your contribution during the war. Best wishes from Zambia."

Eleanor Moore said: "Thank you Betty for your service. I enjoy reading Bletchley Park books so very much! You girls were so brave.. what role models. Happy Birthday from CT, USA."

Annie Frobisher responded with: "Happy birthday amazing lady. Bless you for all your amazing work in the war. How lucky we are to have known you and your work. From Northern Ireland 🇮🇪 and Yorkshire England. Many blessings."

Mrs Webb, now living in Wythall and originally from south Shropshire, said having her party at the base was "absolutely marvellous".

She and her guests, which included TV historian Dan Snow, were treated to a fly-past by a Lancaster bomber.

"It went round three if not four times," she said.

"It was for me - it's unbelievable isn't it? Little me.

"It was breathtaking. It was the last thing I expected."

Mrs Webb, who also worked at the Pentagon in the US, has been awarded the MBE and France's Légion d'Honneur for her work and had a front-row seat at the Coronation.

She and her niece were among 2,200 people from 203 countries invited to Westminster Abbey to see King Charles III crowned alongside Queen Camilla.

She said there were about 60 guests at her party, made up of family, friends and staff at the base.

"We were lucky with the weather," she said.

"We had the ballroom to ourselves which was a lovely room with the most wonderful ceiling and gorgeous food and drink, and nice speeches - not too many.

"I had to make one and I can't remember what I said."

She said everyone "talked and laughed and joked and reminisced".

"It was a thoroughly enjoyable time."

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