Hugh Foss facts for kids

Hugh Rose Foss (born May 13, 1902 – died December 23, 1971) was a very clever British code-breaker. During World War II, he worked at a secret place called Bletchley Park. He helped crack the famous German Enigma code. He also led a team that broke secret Japanese Navy codes.

Early Life and Learning

Hugh Foss was born in Kobe, Japan. His father, also named Hugh Foss, was a bishop there. Because he grew up in Japan, Hugh learned to speak Japanese very well from a young age.

He went to school at Marlborough College. Later, he studied at Christ's College, Cambridge and finished his studies in 1924.

Hugh's older brother, Charles Calveley Foss, was a brave soldier. He won a special award called the Victoria Cross during the First World War.

Becoming a Code-Breaker

In December 1924, Hugh Foss joined a secret government group called the Government Code and Cipher School. He remembered learning about two types of Enigma machines in 1926. These were machines used to send secret messages.

In 1927, he studied a small Enigma machine. He wrote a paper about how to solve codes made by this type of machine. The British Typex machine, which was used in World War II, was also based on this small Enigma design.

Cracking Japanese and German Codes

In September 1934, Hugh Foss and Oliver Strachey successfully broke a secret Japanese Navy code. This was a big achievement!

Later, in November 1940, Hugh Foss became the first person to break a whole day's worth of the German Enigma code. He used a special method called Banburismus. Because of this amazing feat, May 8th is sometimes called "Foss's Day."

Working at Bletchley Park

During World War II, Hugh Foss worked at Bletchley Park. From 1942 to 1943, he was in charge of the section that worked on Japanese Naval codes. This section was called Hut 7.

In December 1944, he traveled to Washington D.C. There, he worked with American code-breakers on Japanese ciphers. People at Bletchley Park and in America thought very highly of him. Gordon Welchman, another famous code-breaker, said that Foss was one of the most brilliant professional code-breakers before the war.

Hugh Foss also wrote a paper in 1949 called "Reminiscences on Enigma." This paper shared his memories and insights about the Enigma machine.

Creating Scottish Dances

Hugh Foss was not just a code-breaker! He also created many Scottish country dances. Some of his well-known dances include Fugal Fergus, John McAlpin, Polharrow Burn, and The Wee Cooper o'Fife. He even published books of his dances from his own company, Glendarroch Press.

Later Years

Hugh Foss retired from his secret government job in 1953. He went to live in a place called Glendarroch in St. John's Town of Dalry, Scotland. He passed away in 1971. He is buried with his wife, Alison, in the Dalry Kirkyard.

Sources

• Dictionary of National Biography
• Action This Day: From Breaking of the Enigma Code to the Birth of the Modern Computer