Big Ideas An intriguing story of art and espionage — how a classical scholar turned codebreaker during World War 2
Nov 10, 2025
Dr. Gillian Shepherd, Director of the A.D. Trendall Research Centre, dives into the fascinating life of Arthur Dale Trendall, a classical scholar who became a WWII codebreaker in Australia. She explores how Trendall's expertise in ancient vase painting helped him decode Japanese messages with innovative techniques. Listeners learn about his leadership of a top cryptographic team, critical intelligence breakthroughs, and the legacy he left in both art and military history. Trendall's journey intertwines academia and espionage, making for a captivating listen!
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A Hidden Chapter In His Life
- Trendall deliberately kept his wartime work secret and destroyed most related documents before he died.
- His 1990 interview and colleagues' memories became key sources for reconstructing his role.
Connoisseurship That Built A Career
- Arthur Dale Trendall built his reputation attributing unsigned South Italian vases to individual painters using tiny stylistic details.
- He applied this connoisseurship method to order thousands of vases and reveal cultural insights.
From Academia To Monterey Code Rooms
- Trendall joined a small Sydney group of mathematicians and linguists who studied Japanese signals traffic from 1940 and 1941.
- He later led a Melbourne team that worked full-time decoding Japanese diplomatic messages at Monterey flats.
