George Owen, a frequent contributor to this site, sent this photo of his Auntie Maude, Mrs. Maude Hughes of Maes Emlyn, Rhyl.In 1944, during World War 2, the young Maude was sent to Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire and worked as part of a team deciphering German military codes. The team's breaking of the Nazi's 'Enigma' code may have shortened the war by up to two years and saved tens of thousands of lives.
George says, “Until a few years ago when the activities at Bletchley Park were made public, Auntie Maude hadn’t told anyone about her part in them - not even her husband! She told me, “Well I’d signed the Secrets Act and that was that as far as I was concerned”.
A couple of months ago Mrs. Hughes received from the Prime Minister a certificate of honour and commemorative medal for her work at Bletchley Park. Mrs. Valerie Knowles of F. Knowles the newsagent, tobacconist and sweet shop in Bodfor Street, was engaged in other work there although the two ladies did not know each other at the time.
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