Career
He led a Computer Conservation Society/Bletchley Park team that rebuilt a working World World War II electromechanical Bombe decryption device. Born in West Ealing, London he spent most of his career working for International Computers Limited working on machines such as the Information and communications technology 1500 and the International Computers Limited 1900 and 2900. By completing evening study he qualified for membership of the British Computer Society (British Computer Society) and Institution of Electronic and Radio Engineers (Institute for Environmental Research and Education ) including becoming a Chartered Engineer.
John Harper, from 1995 to 2006, led a Computer Conservation Society team rebuilding a working World World War II Bombe decryption device.
On 6 September 2006, John Harper and the rebuild team first demonstrated the working Bombe in action. On 24 March 2009 at Bletchley Park, John Harper was presented with the 49th Engineering Heritage Award by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers awarded to the British Computer Society Computer Conversation Society for the conservation and restoration of the Bombe.