William Robson Hedley - Underwater Pipeline

William Robson Hedley never talked about what he did during the war but when Val was researching the family history she found a photo of him in an office with a lady in uniform. She sent for his war record and also collected his medals. She then went to the Imperial War Museum and they recognised the insignia on his uniform. They said he was in something called Operation Pegasus and this was to do with the laying of pipes under the English Channel. He was a draughtsman in the operation. She was unable to find out much information about what he did there and this was not helped that two years of his war record were missing.

Her mother was a Shell Filler at a munitions factory in Blackburn. This was recorded on her marriage certificate.

The transcription and audio are attached.

Editor's note: This was likely to be Operation Pluto (Pipeline under the Ocean) rather than Operation Pegasus. This correction has been inserted in brackets in the attached interview transcript.