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The Gemma Brightman Story Gemma Brightman, episode one, part one
Setting the stage: an intro to our story
In 1942, a bright young University of Chicago student was recruited to join the staff of General Jonathon Wells, Chief of Army Intelligence. Why this pretty coed named Gemma Brightman, who showed such promise as a young scholar? As General Wells told his staff, Gemma, the daughter of his old friend, Professor Arthur Brightman, was one of the most brilliant enigmatologists in the country, a true prodigy from her earliest years. Her father, himself an extraordinary archeologist and writer, used to solve the Sunday Times crossword puzzles and brain teasers with little Gemma curled in his lap, and she wasn't six before she began puzzling them out herself.
Gemma had a natural gift for mathematics and language...so of course her father saw to it that she learned German, French, Italian, Latin, of course, and a smattering of Greek. She was no stranger to adventure, either. Gemma had been on many expeditions with her father, from the ancient ruins at Oman to the high, dangerous mountains of Peru.
At first, the work on General Wells staff was not much more interesting than reading through endless files of data reports. But her keen observations and astute comments in staff meetings soon landed her a job in Colonel Peter Ashton's office as his aid. Col. Ashton was over all code-breaking operations in the European theater, and Gemma's skill in seeing patterns in complex mathematical codes had made her invaluable. Gemma had studied in Germany for several summers when her father taught seminars there and loved the German people as well as the language and great heritage of literature, music and science. She spoke beautiful High German, and could translate any data from Germany.
Col. Ashton and his staff were transferred to England in early '43, and Gemma became separated from her dad for the first time since her mother died when she was only three. It was a difficult parting, but Prof. Brightman had prepared his daughter well to adjust to new places and customs. Fortunately, Col. Ashton had once been a student of Prof. Brightman's and had enormous respect for him. The Colonel and his wife, Pamela, did all they could to make her feel a part
Gemma had been working long hours lately. There was so much to be done in preparation for the invasion, which everyone knew was inevitable if the Allied cause was to succeed. She felt a deep commitment to do all she could, knowing it was often priceless information, even a seemingly innocuous bit of data, which made the critical difference between life and death to a soldier in the field. This night, she had fallen asleep at her desk after a grueling twelve hours on the job. Col. Ashton came in, softly tapping her on the shoulder to wake her.
Gemma had been working long hours lately. There was so much to be done in preparation for the invasion, which everyone knew was inevitable if the Allied cause was to succeed. She felt a deep commitment to do all she could, knowing it was often priceless information, even a seemingly innocuous bit of data, which made the critical difference between life and death to a soldier in the field. This night, she had fallen asleep at her desk after a grueling twelve hours on the job. Col. Ashton came in, softly tapping her on the shoulder to wake her.
"What time is the Embassy dinner tomorrow night, sir ?" Gemma asked, as she put on her hat and gloves. Tired as she was, she felt a surge of excitement at the prospect of walking the London streets again, spending time with Pamela visiting friends stationed or living in London, and most especially of seeing some of those friends at the Embassy dinner tomorrow night. She often felt isolated in her work, and looked forward to a long, gossipy cocktail hour with them.
"There's someone I want you to meet tomorrow night, Gemma", said the Colonel. "He will be at the dinner...someone you will be working with on special assignment for several months. " Gemma looked at him, surprised. "I'll explain on the way home", the Col replied to her inquisitive look.
That night as Gemma prepared for bed, she pondered again the extraordinary new turn in her life. That she had been given the highest security clearance for this new assignment, even as high as Col. Ashton himself, both thrilled and amazed her. She couldn't even write her father about it ! And what would this Group Captain Richardson, her new boss, be like to work with ? Colonel Ashton spoke highly of him, but offered no additional information. He was a high-ranking officer in British Intelligence, and Oxford-educated...but that was all she knew of him. Suddenly, she felt a slight chill, and reached for her cup of steaming tea.
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