A DECORATED war hero who was trusted with a secret mission during the Second World War has opened up about the race against time to track down an atomic bomb.

Peter Lyons, of Radley Close, Penketh, was part of the elite 30 Assault Unit with the British Commandos.

It was believed at the time that the Germans had been attempting to build a nuclear bomb.

Peter was one of three men tasked with identifying the substances used in the construction of the weapon at a factory in Kiel, Germany. 

As Nazi Germany collapsed in May 1945, the then 19-year-old had little time to reach Kiel to ensure the suspected lethal weapons didn’t fall into the wrong hands.

“I just took each day at a time,” said the 92-year-old veteran, who in later life worked across the world designing oil refineries.

“You don’t think about what could happen. You have a job to do and that is what I decided to focus on.”

The secret intelligence unit, which had been set up in 1942, later became the inspiration behind Ian Fleming’s Commandos by Nicholas Rankin.

Peter was just 16 when he signed up to serve his country – an honour he is still proud of to this day.

After working with the Home Guard, the young commando had some experience but it was limited. He had also spent time working at an anti-aircraft gun site on Farnworth Road in Penketh at 15. 

“We didn’t do much training – there wasn’t much time,” said the dad-of-two, who has six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

“They were stuck for people in the war. I signed up in 1943 and I went out on a boat not long after.”

But after two years of service, the commando was tasked with tracking down and seizing any materials which could be used in the creation of an atomic bomb.

“It was the end of the war and they were short of people,” said Peter.

“They were drafting people to Japan and they told me that’s where I was going. But then the three of us were given this mission.

“We had to find an atomic bomb. They were unheard of in England.”

The trio were sent to a factory in Kiel to find uranium but, while the substance was not uncovered, it led to capture of German-born scientist Hellmuth Walter in May 1945.

Hellmuth and a number of colleagues were later taken to the UK to work for the Royal Navy. 

Some people believe his capture formed the basis of Ian Fleming’s James Bond novel Moonraker.

During his time in Kiel, Peter was also part of the special unit which seized gold collected by the Nazis.

“We stole a whole train with a 100 tonnes of gold inside – there were so many gold bars,” he said.

“The gold had been pulled from the teeth of people they had killed.”

After the war, Peter, who has been married for 69 years to his wife Gladys, was recognised for his time in the forces and has received a number of medals for his service.

Peter, who ran the Woodlands Hotel in Warrington, is believed to be the last survivor of 30 Assault Unit.