A Suffolk woman who helped to locate Field Marshal Rommel’s headquarters as part of her role in the Second World War has celebrated her 95th birthday.

Ann Pope, from Stowmarket, moved to the listening station in Beaumanor Hall after undergoing intensive training for six months on the Isle of Man.

At the stately home in Leicestershire Mrs Pope sat with a team of intercepters spying on Morse code messages coming from across Europe which were then sent to Bletchley Park.

But it was in 1944, on D-Day, when the Dundee-born woman had her moment in the spotlight.

“We all sat at huge wireless sets listening in,” Mrs Pope said.

“It was very interesting, it was fascinating but it was nerve-racking. We sat there listening, taking it down but we were not often told what we were doing.

“There was an urgent message and I told the Major. He rushed back and I was told ‘for God’s sake hold the signal’. I knew it was an important signal, we had been taught to recognise an urgent message.

“The next day the Colonel said that I had saved many lives. I was chuffed – that was my highlight. I had found Rommel’s headquarters, it was just outside Paris. It was very exciting.”

During her time on the Isle of Man Mrs Pope learnt how to intercept codes coming from across Europe. She had to be fluent in Morse code, be able to construct a wireless set from scratch and understand foreign codes.

The interceptors also had to sit exams before they were allowed to work at Beaumanor Hall.

Mrs Pope said: “We sat exams and I got through. They asked me to stay as an instructor but I was intent on winning the war. I thought I was going overseas, when I was told I was going to the Isle of Man.”

In 2009 Mrs Pope was presented with a certificate signed by the-then Prime Minister Gordon Brown thanking her for her work.

She moved to Suffolk to marry her “Essex man” Douglas and has since been in the county for more than 60 years.

Mrs Pope lives in Millers Close, Stowmarket and recently celebrated her 95th birthday at a special event in the Cedars Hotel which she described as “smashing”.