WARTIME memories came flooding back when Audrey Williams and Nancy Berry dropped into their former workplace.

The two women returned to the UK Hydrographic Office, in Creechbarrow Road, Taunton, where they had worked during the Second World War.

They were shown an archive display and toured the new HQs before donating a series of photos and memorabilia from their time with the organisation.

Audrey, Nancy and their colleagues played a key role in the war effort, notably the D-Day landings in 1944.

Using information gathered through top secret hydrographic surveys, draughtsmen and women at Creechbarrow worked tirelessly to produce charts depended on by more than 132,000 Allied service personnel who crossed the English Channel.

Their work included producing special charts used by 5,000 amphibious vessels to land on Normandy beaches, as well as mine charts to support operation planning against U-boat attacks.

Over the course of the war, UKHO employees produced more than 30 million items like these to support operations all over the world.

Commenting on the visit, acting UKHO chief executive Rear Admiral Tim Lowe said: "We are delighted that Audrey and Nancy have come to visit us here at our new office.

"The work they carried out at Creechbarrow was depended on by many around the world and is an important part of our history at the UKHO.

"I’d like to thank them for coming to visit us and hope they enjoyed their time meeting staff and getting an update on how we now operate."

A modern hydrographic office, the UKHO specialises in providing marine geospatial information to help others make the best use of our oceans in safer, more secure and more sustainable ways.

This includes enabling commercial ships to navigate safely, helping small island states to create sustainable economic growth and supporting defence and national security.