Codes of Courage
Although much is known about Bletchley Park, the British codebreaking center in Buckinghamshire, an hour outside of London, little is written about the impact of tramp steamers and the British Merchant Marines’ role providing supplies and capturing Enigma machines.
The novel is narrated by three main characters: Millie Stevens, a diplomat’s daughter and codebreaker at Bletchley; Karl Lang, a wealthy Austrian who escaped Nazi persecution and enlisted in the merchant marine; and Rolf Denhart, a German radio operator on a Nazi U-boat.
Much of the language of this well-researched novel is technical, so the glossary provided is helpful. Although adding to the authenticity, the attacks and battle details tended to be tedious for me, slowing down the storyline. Several passages are full-out action-adventure as U-boats attack and our hero is suspended in the icy Atlantic more than once. Both sides adhere to the “laws of the sea,” saving survivors of sinking vessels.
What captured my interest most is the tender love story between Millie and Karl, much of it outlined in their letters and moments on leave. The reader experiences the daily lives of ordinary people living through a war. This is especially poignant as Rolf, home on leave with his wife Frieda, begins to question the doctrine of the Third Reich. “Most of the time, I am glad to do my duty, but I do not like war. Torpedoes. Depth charges. And an ocean only slightly more forgiving than the weapons men wield . . . he took no joy in killing sailors on the other side.” Meanwhile his wife is helping Jewish people escape persecution; he fears for her safety. People on both sides struggle to survive.
