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I was a convoy plotter and plotted the South West approaches. I was based in Plymouth in our underground headquarters (ACHQ). It was sited right on the water's edge. I remember just before D-Day in June 1944 we had a fantastic view of all the fleets. There were ships from America, Canada and our other allies.

On the huge map of the South West approaches covering the circular table around which we worked, were models of allied and enemy naval vessels. Using information received through headphones from our radar colleagues, ships were moved and removed from the scene. Removals were always distressing as many of us had friends among those on board.

Occasionally, in order to give us a break from constantly working underground, two of us would exchange location and roles with our radar colleagues.

One day in the summer of 1945, while I was stationed at Start Point on the Cornish south coast, an unidentified object appeared on the radar screen. A signal from the vessel identified it as a German U-boat. To witness the surfacing of this boat and to see the emergence and surrender of the captain and his crew was a most moving and memorable experience.

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