Quelle turn-up! French ‘to give London a gong’

WITH the history of Anglo-French relations notable for glorious British victories in battles such as Agincourt and Waterloo, it is somewhat surprising news.

But French president Emmanuel Macron is considering bestowing his country’s highest award for military merit on London.

Plans are under way to hand a Legion d’Honneur to the English capital in June, in recognition of its work in helping to win the Second World War. Britain played a key role in D-Day, which led directly to the liberation of France from Nazi conquest. And France’s wartime leader Charles de Gaulle was exiled to London after French forces collapsed, with the general successfully using the city as a base from which to inspire his fellow countrymen.

On June 18, 1940, De Gaulle made his famous Appeal speech on BBC radio from Broadcasting House.

He said: ‘I invite the officers and the French soldiers in British territory or who might end up here, with their weapons or without their weapons ... to put themselves in contact with me.’ De Gaulle concluded: ‘Whatever happens, the flame of the French resistance must not be extinguished and will not be extinguished.’ Such words were recognised as the first sign of French resistance, leading to them taking up arms either as members of his Free French or as non-military fighters. Mr Macron’s award is due to be made on the 80th anniversary of the Appeal in June. While some see it as a fitting act of penance by a Frenchman who once called Brexit a ‘ crime’, others have reacted with anger. Le Figaro newspaper, which broke the news, was yesterday full of angry comments from readers. Many were furious at the suggestion that Mr Macron wanted to honour what he once called ‘our hereditary enemies’. Others mentioned Napoleon, who created the Legion d’Honneur in 1802. ‘ Napoleon Bonaparte must be turning in his grave,’ said one. ‘He who created this medal and who was exiled to Saint Helena by the English.’ But Eric Bocquet, chairman of the French senate’s Franco-British friendship committee, said it would be a ‘way of holding out a hand to the UK after Brexit’ and showing that ‘relations between Britain and France are going to remain strong’.