CODE Breakers

In WWII - Nazi Germany used an electro-mechanical rotor machines used for the encryption and decryption of secret messages – code named – Enigma.[1]

Fortunately the British developed a code breaker machine called: Colossus.

Colossus was designed by engineer Tommy Flowers with input from Harry Fensom, Allen Coombs, Sidney Broadhurst and William Chandler[1] at the Post Office Research Station, Dollis Hill to solve a problem posed by mathematician Max Newman at Bletchley Park. The prototype, Colossus Mark 1, was shown to be working in December 1943 and was operational at Bletchley Park by February 1944. An improved Colossus Mark 2 first worked on 1 June 1944, just in time for the Normandy Landings. Ten Colossi were in use by the end of the war.[2]

The Colossus machines were electronic computing devices used by British codebreakers to help read encrypted German messages during World War II. They used vacuum tubes (thermionic valves) to perform the calculations

The Colossus computers were used to help decipher teleprinter messages which had been encrypted using the Lorenz SZ40/42 machine—British codebreakers referred to encrypted German teleprinter traffic as "Fish" and called the SZ40/42 machine and its traffic "TUNNY" [3]

[1] Enigma; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enigma_machine

[2] Colossus computer; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossus_computer

[3]Lorenz cipher; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorenz_SZ40/42