Cynheidre – Llanelly Star 1954

Some of the technicians had been prisoners of war during the conflict of 1939-1945 and understandably, the situation became a ‘little fraught’ with locals. Many of whom, including Gerald Grant, had served in the Services for five years, and ‘it took a lot of getting used to’ to work with men who had been considered enemies shortly before.

One local, like many others, had served in the Merchant Navy and his supply ships had been torpedoed on at least three occasions with many sailors being lost at sea.

‘Tiffs’ and minor arguments occurred frequently and as a result work suffered.

Gerald Grant recalled that when he was working on the Cynheidre site, a Rolls-Royce, driven by a chauffeur resplendent in his uniform, appeared, having travelled from London. The passengers wore expensive overcoats, trimmed with velvet lapels, sporting ‘Anthony Eden’ or Homburg hats. The visitors said they were from the Home Office, and addressed the local men appealing to them to let ‘bygones be bygones’ etc.

This is one event that was not reported in the local newspapers – was it covered by the Official Secrets Act?