Understand
103-year-old codebreaker Fred Vanke's WW2 heroics recognised after decades of secrecy
Overview
Fred Vanke, a 103-year-old World War Two veteran who fled Nazi-occupied Poland and secretly worked as a codebreaker supporting Bletchley Park, has finally had his contributions officially recognised. Believed to be the last surviving member of the Polish codebreakers who assisted Britain, Vanke kept his wartime activities entirely hidden from his family and friends for decades due to strict secrecy oaths. Recent historical research has led to Vanke and 26 other Polish codebreakers being added to the Bletchley Park Roll of Honour.
Key points
- Fred Vanke, now 103, fled Poland at age 16 after the 1939 Nazi invasion and later joined the Carpathian Rifle Brigade with his father.
- After demonstrating codebreaking aptitude during testing, he was recruited to work at The Arches, a Polish signals intelligence station supporting Bletchley Park.
- Vanke maintained strict secrecy about his wartime role throughout his life, never telling his late wife Patricia or his children.
- Recent historical research by Bletchley Park Trust has added Vanke and 27 Polish codebreakers and signals intelligence personnel to the Roll of Honour.