SHE was frowned upon during the Second World War for appearing reluctant to join the war effort and was unable to reveal her secret until 30 years later.
Now, a late Haddington woman has been honoured for her role in helping the Allies - despite working the whole time as a humble shop assistant in the county market town.
Lizzie Tully-Jackson has been posthumously recognised by the Government for her work in helping William Amos - an electrical and radio shop owner who used knowledge gained from the Merchant Navy during the First World War to monitor German radio signals for MI6.
Mr Amos ran his shop from within his sister's hotel on Market Street, in the premises which Gibson's of Haddington now occupies, and worked from a room in the top of the building.
Mrs Tully-Jackson was employed as his shop assistant throughout the war.
It was her job to run the shop in his absence - often while he worked long hours listening to faint Morse code signals from Hamburg - or to make excuses for him to deflect attention from the secretive work being carried out.
Any signals intercepted by Mr Amos were forwarded to Bletchley Park - the country's main centre for decrypting codes during the Second World War.
Both had to sign the Official Secrets Act, meaning Mrs Tully-Jackson - who passed away last year aged 93 - could tell no one of what she did.
She was often asked during the war why she was not joining organisations such as the WAF (Women in the Air Force) or working in factories, and while Mr Amos received a British Empire Medal for his war work, Mrs Tully-Jackson received no recognition before she died.
However, her husband - town historian Jack Tully-Jackson - applied to Government Communications Head-quarters (GCHQ) on her behalf this year and has now received a certificate signed by Prime Minister David Cameron and a lapel badge to honour her role.
Mr Tully-Jackson, 87, of Hawthorn Bank Road, told the Courier: "It's a bit sad she wasn't able to receive it personally but she would have been proud. We are very glad for her.
"She had to endure quite a lot of ribbing [during the war] about why she wasn't weighing in and doing service like working in factories like most women. Her controller said: 'No, you're staying here. We are going to need your service!' She had to give a wry smile and tell people: 'They haven't sent for me yet'."
It has been claimed that the bombing of Haddington - when five high-explosive bombs fell on the town on March 3, 194, killing one person instantly and another later dying from their injuries - may have been caused by Mr Amos broadcasting from his Market Street building.
However, Mr Amos's work consisted only of monitoring signals.
The reason why the town - including the former Courier printworks - was bombed remains unclear.
THE Haddington shop from where William Amos, with Lizzie Tully-Jackson's help, monitored German communications
Lizzie pictured during the Second World War
Subject: Lizzie Tully-Jackson 
Thu 06 Oct 2011, 20:12
