TRIBUTES have been paid to wartime code breaker Harry Beckhough who died on Sunday aged 101.

Mr Beckhough, who lived in Castle Court retirement apartments in River Park, grew up in Bristol attending Fairfield Grammar school and studying at Bristol University.

He was a colonel in the Intelligence Corps and a code-breaker at Bletchley Park during the Second World War.

He was thought to be the oldest member of the Conservative Party - joining when he was 15.

Claire Perry, MP for the Devizes Constituency, said: “Harry was a wonderful campaigner for so many things and for me epitomised the phrase ‘a life well lived’.

“He will be so sorely missed but fondly remembered by many.”

Mr Beckhough moved to Wiltshire in 1996 to be near his daughter, Jennifer, who is married to head of the High Court Family Division Sir James Munby.

In 2010 he attended the Conservative Party conference and was singled out for praise by David Cameron during his first speech to conference as Prime Minister.

Ian Philpott, Conservative administration manager based in the Marlborough office, said: “He has been a stalwart in our club since he arrived in the constituency in 1996.

“From a personal point of view, he relished being my office boy and he could be found behind his desk in the office right up until the end of January this year, just before his 101st birthday, which is really quite an achievement.”

He celebrated his 101st birthday twice, first on February 8, the day he was born, and on February 15, which is on his birth certificate because his father didn’t register him until a week after his birth.

Mayor Marian Hannaford- Dobson said: “He was a good friend of mine for 18 years.

“He introduced me to my political career. He persuaded me to try for a seat on the town council and then he came out with me to hand out flyers and canvassed with me.

“He was a doer and he would never ask anyone to so anything that he wouldn’t do himself.

“He was a fantastic and extraordinary man and I loved him.”