The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Navy war veteran given highest of French honours
A 95-year-old Navy veteran has been awarded France’s highest honour for his service during the D-day operations.
Harry Johnson was presented with a Legion d’honneur medal in recognition of his role in the Second World War.
There to witness him receiving his award were some of Harry’s family and friends, among them his daughter Lindsey and her husband Stuart, who had travelled from Dunfermline to attend the ceremony.
The French government is recognising the role of British service personnel during D-day and around 5,000 medals have been awarded around the UK.
Mr Johnson is originally from London but lives in Helensburgh and was presented with the honour by
Emmanuel Cocher of the French Consul General at HM Naval Base Clyde, where he worked until his retirement in 1982.
He joined the Navy at 17, with his first deployment on HMS Enterprise. The light cruiser fired more than 9,000 shells during the D-day landings and the bombardment of Cherbourg.
Mr Johnson said: “I remember waking at dawn on D-day and going on deck to find the sea completely covered with ships and crafts of every conceivable shape, size and purpose, for as far as the eye could see and mostly heading for the beaches.
“It is an honour to be presented with this award. However, I also think of all those who died during and since the war and feel that many of them deserve this far more than I do.”