No One Saw It Coming The Forgotten Female Codebreakers of WWII
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Jan 5, 2026 Alli Sinclair, an author and researcher specializing in women's roles during wartime, delves into the untold story of the 'Garage Girls,' the young female codebreakers in WWII Australia. They worked tirelessly in a shed, intercepting Japanese communications essential for the Allies' success. Sinclair reveals their challenging recruitment and training process, the innovative decoding methods they employed, and their significant contribution to Operation Vengeance against Yamamoto. Despite their crucial work, their achievements were forgotten, highlighting the need for recognition and honoring their legacy.
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Central Bureau's Hidden Role
- Central Bureau was a top-secret Australian signals intelligence centre tucked inside a Brisbane mansion and backyard garage.
- Its covert setup let a multinational team intercept and analyse Japanese Army and Air Force communications during WWII.
Division Of Signals Labor
- Central Bureau split roles: Australians focused on traffic analysis while Americans focused on cryptanalysis.
- That division let the centre combine movement-tracking with codebreaking to guide Allied operations in the Pacific.
Young Women In The Garage
- The Garage Girls were about 36 young women who worked in three 12-person shifts, averaging 18–21 years old.
- Many came from rural jobs and were recruited for youth, single status, and perceived discretion rather than prior tech experience.
