Ottawa woman, wartime code breaker celebrates turning 106

An Ottawa woman and former codebreaker during the Second World War is set to turn 106-years-old. CTV’s Katie Griffin shares her story.

Win Beecroft has 106 reasons to celebrate.

The Second World War code breaker was celebrating an incredible milestone with afternoon tea at the Fairmont Château Laurier Tuesday ahead of her 106th birthday.

“It’s rather puzzling, but when I come to think about it, I suppose 106 is a lot of days,” Beecroft said with a laugh.

Born in England on July 2, 1920, Beecroft served with the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

“I was an Enigma girl,” she said.

“We tried to hear whatever Morse code was coming over from the enemy as it were. If we got a full message on the full page, we used to call the supervisor. The supervisor would say ‘hurry, hurry hurry’ and off they’d go to send it off to headquarters.”

“My mother, when I was young, told me I would never be anything but a servant. So, I said to heck with you!”

Beecroft came to Canada in 1955 with her late husband Rex and three children.

“She’s a self-made lady. You know, she took care of the family, and then she went out to work at the Ottawa Civic Hospital,” her son Richard said.

“She’s had so many obstacles in her way and in life. She’s overcome them all and she’s always been very, very loving and supportive. So, she’s just been a fabulous mother.”

Beecroft’s friend Stephen Roos and his wife organized the afternoon.

“As we go through life it’s very rare to find good friends that you have for years and years and years and every year they become a little bit more precious,” he said.

Along with afternoon tea, there was also champagne and a dessert tray.

“It was just a special… we’re so thrilled that you’re here and congratulations on such a milestone birthday,” said Catherine McLaughlin, events and activations manager at the Fairmont Château Laurier.

“I got that email, I was like, immediately, this is so exciting. And how cool was it that they would choose us to celebrate with.”

Beecroft says the secret to living a long live comes down to luck and two eggs a day.

“When I was a young girl my mother put me on eggs. She said they were very good for me so I’ve had two eggs every day since and this is what I say when people say, ‘what keeps you so young?’ I said two eggs a day!”

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