Complex sentence: Bruford was then Professor of German at the University of Edinburgh, 1929--1951, though was seconded to the Foreign Office during World War II, 1939--1943, to work at Bletchley Park.
Split into simpler sentences: Bruford was then appointed Professor of German at the University of Edinburgh in 1929. He was seconded to the Foreign Office during World War II, 1939--1943, to work at Bletchley Park.