A RETIRED Falmouth dock worker, who took part in secret missions building bridges and railways during the Second World War, was given VIP treatment by soldiers working on a railway in Bodmin.
Cyril Thomas, 88, joined members of 170 Engineering Group (Royal Engineers) who were guests of Bodmin and Wenford Railway.
The Territorial Army soldiers have been carrying out track maintenance, including fitting new sleepers.
Based in Nottinghamshire, the unit has been living under canvas at Lanhydrock, under the command of Major Andy Smith.
With their specialist equipment, not normally seen on a heritage railway, they have been relaying track in a quarter of the time it would take the railway's volunteer track gang.
Father of two Mr Thomas, who retired in 1987, was called up in 1942 and worked on the railways and in ports in England and Europe during the war.
Recalling his days serving with the Royal Engineers, Mr Thomas said: "I was posted to Richborough in Kent where we built bridge sections for the Mulberry harbour in readiness of the D-Day landings.
"It was top secret – we had no idea what was coming."
While there he also worked with army railway construction workers laying track.
He was then transferred to Southampton where he worked for 983 Dredging Company using Truro's dredging machine that had been commandeered for the war effort.
"We went across to Ostend in Belgium after the Germans left and cleared the harbours that were silted up."
During his visit Mr Thomas was presented with a new regimental beret – his old one now too small – in gratitude for his service on the railways.
Major Smith said they were only too pleased to present the new beret: "Our commanding officer is from Cornwall and knows Mr Thomas, so arranged for the beret to be presented, and Mr Thomas was thrilled to receive it."
Mr Thomas was given a guided tour of the site and a demonstration of the modern tools being used.
"It was very different in my day," he said. "Now it takes just one man minutes to cut a track. It used to take two men using a big axe saw; it was heavy work."
Speaking of his trip down memory lane Mr Thomas, who was discharged in May 1946 and returned to work for Falmouth Docks Engineering, said he and his wife were given "VIP treatment" by the TA soldiers.
