A GRANDMOTHER whose work helped to bring an end to World War Two has been honoured after more than 60 years.
Marguerita Storey received a medal and certificate from the government in recognition of her efforts during the war.
Mrs Storey, now 86, worked as a wireless operator at Compton Bassett air base in Wiltshire, sending messages from aircraft and ship
s across to Bletchley Park at Milton Keynes, the historic site of secret British codebreaking activities during the war.
The codebreakers were seen as being instrumental in helping to bring down Hitler and end World War Two.
Mrs Storey, known as Rita, worked in collaboration with some of the country's top mathematicians on a top secret project to crack the Nazi Enigma code machine.
Historians say the work shortened the war by two years and saved thousands of lives.
Mrs Storey was just 17 when she signed up with the air force, and had been living in Shropshire at the time, after her family moved south from the Wirral.
She was sent to Newcastle for
six months of intensive training before the job took her to Compton Bassett.
"It was very hush hush work so we couldn't talk about it at all," Mrs Storey, who now lives in Gressingham, said.
"We weren't even told where we were going because it was all so secret.
"It's nice that it's now being recognised, so we can pass the story on to future generations."
Mrs Storey remained in the role through much of the war but was eventually discharged from duty with kidney problems.
Her late husband Thomas meanwhile, experienced a far more harrowing side to the war, having been missing in Poland for six months after the plane he was piloting was shot down.
He was also later honoured for his actions with a medal.
