Tray belonging to Milton Keynes' wartime hero Alan Turing to be sold at auction

A presentation tray given to the Second World War code-breaker, Alan Turing, from fellow staff at Bletchley Park, is being offered for auction.

The oak galleried tray, complete with engraved presentation plaque is on sale at auctioneers Humbert & Ellis.

Measuring 55.5cm by 39cm, the oval tray has a raised nickel-plated gallery and side handles.

Engraved 'To Alan from us all at The Park' , the tray has been in private ownership for many years having been left to a friend of Turing after his death in 1954, Major Dare Newell, himself a founder member of the SAS.

Turing, widely credited with leading the Bletchley Park wartime code-breaking effort against the Nazi 'enigma code' including his code-breaking machine 'the Bombe', was awarded the OBE in 1945 for his work. He was later convicted of gross-indecency, dying from apparent suicide in 1954 but posthumously pardoned by The Queen in 2014.

Alan Turing is now rightly remembered for his outstanding contribution to the war effort.

The tray is for sale 'no reserve' in a timed-online sale at the auctioneers ending Sunday, December 5.