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The Straight Story

(48,121 posts) Fri Jul 19, 2013, 12:52 PM Jul 2013

World War Two code breaker Alan Turing set to be pardoned for his gay conviction

The Government said it would not stand in the way of legislation to offer a full Parliamentary pardon for Turing, who helped Britain to win the Second World War as a skilled code-breaker.

Until now, the Government has resisted using the Royal Prerogative to pardon Turing for his conviction for gross indecency in 1952 because he was a homosexual.

Ministers had argued that because Turing was convicted of what was at the time a criminal offence, it is not possible to hand him a full posthumous pardon.

For years, campaigners have called on ministers to reverse the decision because of the part he played in winning the war after he invented the Colossus machine at Bletchley Park to crack the codes of German U-boats in the Atlantic.

Despite his work, he was convicted of gross indecency and as his punishment he chose chemical castration over imprisonment. Two years later he committed suicide at the age of 41.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/10191547/World-War-Two-code-breaker-Alan-Turing-set-to-be-pardoned-for-his-gay-conviction.html

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World War Two code breaker Alan Turing set to be pardoned for his gay conviction (Original Post) The Straight Story Jul 2013 OP

Suicide by a cyanide laced apple. longship Jul 2013 #1

Every once in a while the Military Channel covers this and other aspects of Britain's focus on monmouth3 Jul 2013 #3

nice to be pardoned too bad so long after his death dembotoz Jul 2013 #2

longship

(40,416 posts)

1. Suicide by a cyanide laced apple.

Reply to The Straight Story (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2013, 01:29 PM

Jul 2013

There is so much of modern computers for which Turing is responsible. It is an abomination how he was treated after the war. Unfortunately he was not allowed to be honored because the code breaking was still secret, and remained so for years.

A good read about the Enigma, A Man Called Intrepid which focusses on William Stephenson, code named "Intrepid". This book revealed, for the first time, the extent of Britain's penetration into Nazi Germany's codes. It's a good read even though it was written in the late 60's.

monmouth3

(3,871 posts)

3. Every once in a while the Military Channel covers this and other aspects of Britain's focus on

Reply to longship (Reply #1)

Fri Jul 19, 2013, 02:00 PM

Jul 2013

Germany's codes. I always enjoy their female undercover agents, fooled so many people.

dembotoz

(16,834 posts)

2. nice to be pardoned too bad so long after his death

Reply to The Straight Story (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2013, 01:58 PM

Jul 2013

sort of like having the murderer apologize at his sentencing

don't help the victim much does it

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