Blind D-day veteran in plea to help locate his lost medal

A HUNT has been launched for a blind D-day veteran’s medal after he lost his Légion d’honneur on HMS Belfast during the 75th anniversary commemorations of the Normandy landings.

John Baker was a private in the Royal Pioneer Corps when he took part in the June 1944 operation that led to the routing of the Nazis from occupied France.

Mr Baker, from Gosport, Hants, who lost his sight from age-related macular degeneration, is appealing for help to reunite him with his medal – the highest award handed out by the French government – before he visits war graves in France next week.

The veteran misplaced the medal while attending the memorial event held by Blind Veterans UK on board HMS Belfast on the River Thames in London on June 6.

Mr Baker said: “It was such a lovely day to visit HMS Belfast for the anniversary of D-day, but unfortunately for me it had a very unhappy ending. I was so proud to receive the Légion d’honneur because I wasn’t just accepting it for me but for all those who didn’t make it back or weren’t alive to get their own.

“I’m due to visit the war graves in France next week and I would be so proud to wear that medal again there. I really hope someone has found it and it can be returned.”

Major General (Rtd) Nick Caplin, chief executive of Blind Veterans UK, said: “As soon as we heard that the medal had gone missing we returned to the ship to search for it but, unfortunately, it wasn’t found.

“There were thousands of people around HMS Belfast on Thursday so hopefully someone knows something or has even handed it in somewhere.”

He added: “We hope that John’s treasured medal can be found, but we will ensure that a replacement medal is presented if not.”