This history lesson went viral because it’s extraordinary and so beautifully told
7.
Poor Geoff does nothing for TWO YEARS. Probably sitting on the grass and looking Alan Turing’s butt which I assume was da bomb. pic.twitter.com/S2LYzqxc6d
— Florence Schechter (@floschechter) April 9, 2018
8.
UNTIL 1941…. when the allies torpedoed a German U-boat and managed to salvage a load of documents including a BIGRAM TABLE (!!!) which is like super duper important because they show how to unscramble messages through the enigma machine! pic.twitter.com/fTdGkZ94IN
— Florence Schechter (@floschechter) April 9, 2018
9.
But there’s one major problem… all the papers are so soggy they are basically unusable. All was lost! But then Geoffrey FUCKING TANDY saved the day like the scientist badass he is. He was like “GUYS! I am a cryptoGAMMIST, remember! DRYING OUT WATERLOGGED THINGS IS WHAT I DOOOO” pic.twitter.com/rLhOHdWBAq
— Florence Schechter (@floschechter) April 9, 2018
10.
If it weren’t for him, Benedict Cumberbatch’s lookalike Alan Turing wouldn’t have been able to do his thang. GO TANDY!
So a big up to scientists in unexpected places. And if anyone ever tells you off for a typo, tell them his story. pic.twitter.com/LVmY1MGU2A
— Florence Schechter (@floschechter) April 9, 2018
11.
P.S. the thing that always makes me laugh about this story is that at no point did anyone at Bletchley Park or the Ministry of Defence question why a code breaker was working at the NATURAL HISTORY museum. Like, WHY. pic.twitter.com/T6whIi0ZxZ
— Florence Schechter (@floschechter) April 9, 2018
In case you’re interested …
Here are references if you want to read more: https://t.co/cIWKgTZR9thttps://t.co/aF73X5Av7Lhttps://t.co/Q5SC89dpkEhttps://t.co/FCHe2SI7ZF pic.twitter.com/aq72Hy7uj7
— Florence Schechter (@floschechter) April 9, 2018
And here’s what people made of it online.
this story of WWII seems to mainly be about how super organised chaps got defeated by accident – sounds like a miracle … but with lots of make do and use what you have to hand…
— Trevor Sharp (@trevsharp) April 9, 2018
Also very consistent with a scientifically illiterate senior civil service and British excellence in muddling through.
— Michael Saunby (@msaunby) April 9, 2018
And this is why I love history. pic.twitter.com/SyjVaxK7HT
— K McLeod (@N3tworkN3rd) April 10, 2018
