Queen praises Bletchley Park and Alan Turing at monument unveiling

The Queen has praised the work of code breakers at Bletchley Park during the Second World War at the unveiling of a memorial dedicated to their achievements.

She said that Bletchley was a piece of history the UK should always remember and a testament to the nation's courage, stoicism and ability to innovate.

"We can be proud of the legacy of Bletchley: proud that Colossus was the first computer, and that the British people, supported by our friends and allies, rose to the challenge," the Queen said.

"They were called to this place in the greatest of secrecy as they set about on a seemingly impossible mission, a massive challenge in the field of cryptanalysis for the first time pitting technology against technology."

The Queen added that, while Bletchley was famous for "geniuses such as Alan Turing", the work of other staff in less well-known roles should never be forgotten.

"These wonderfully clever mathematicians, language graduates and engineers were complemented by people with different sets of skills, harnessing that brilliance through methodical, unglamorous, hard slog," she said.

"To those veterans who remain, I offer nothing but praise. You were history-shapers and your example serves as an inspiration to the intelligence community today, as they continue the vital work to protect the people of this country."

Bletchley Park was of central importance to the Allied war effort as staff at the base, led by Turing, helped to crack the German enigma codes which enabled military personnel to stay one step ahead in the battle for Europe.

Turing received an official apology from former prime minister Gordon Brown in 2009 for the treatment he suffered at the hands of the government after the war, while a campaign in Feburary succeeded in saving a collection of his most important works.