Charlotte (Betty) Webb MBE, 2019

Oil on canvas by Ann Witheridge, 2019.

During World War Two (1939-1945) Betty Webb joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) in 1941 and was immediately sent to work for the Government Code and Cypher School's code breaking operation at Bletchley Park. She started out in the famous mansion, registering details of undeciphered German Enigma messages, before moving to the Japanese section to paraphrase decoded Japanese messages. In 1945, Webb was sent to work at the Pentagon in Washington DC for more paraphrasing work When the Women's Royal Army Corps (WRAC) was formed in 1949, absorbing what was left of the ATS, Webb served with them until she left the Army in 1969.

Ann Witheridge is an artist specialising in drawing and painting and founder of the London Fine Art Studios.

The portrait was produced as part of a series of live painting events at the National Army Museum during its 'Rise of the Lionesses' exhibition in 2019. Five artists produced five portraits of inspirational female veterans who served in either the WRAC or the ATS. The soldiers discussed their military careers and post-military lives while their portraits were being painted.