Alan Stripp in 1943 was a first-year Cambridge classics scholar with an aptitude for musical composition, chess, and crossword puzzles. These attributes led to his selection for training in breaking Japanese codes, which he did at Bletchley Park and in Delhi until the end of the war, when he switched to Persian and Afghan codes. Returning to Cambridge, he changed course to read Japanese and Chinese. His later career embraced the British Council in Portugal and Indonesia, and both lecturing and administration at Cambridge. Since retiring in 1988 he has directed Cambridge University summer schools on British secret intelligence.
