Hero remembers lost friends as he is honoured for D-Day exploits

THE DARKEST of days when he lost some of his closest friends during the Second World War still haunt Dennis Roy Cooper.

But those painful memories were soothed at least a little yesterday when the 102-year-old veteran was awarded the Legion D’honneur for his services during D-Day.

Mr Cooper was aged 23 when he enlisted in the Royal Navy from his hometown of Portsmouth in October 1940.

In 1944, he was serving as a sub Lieutenant and helped to escort the two mulberry harbours to Normandy.

From June 5, he was engaged in mine sweeping from Sword

Beach to Cherbourg off the Cotentin peninsular.

Mr Cooper was presented with the Legion D’honneur, the highest French decoration, during a ceremony which was arranged by the Armed Forces charity, SSAFA, at Blandford

Camp in Dorset yesterday.

He said: “We are all here today because of the sacrifices made in those dark days. I lost many friends who I will never forget. It is important that these events are never forgotten.”

Mr Cooper served for three years on HMS King George V after enlisting into the Royal Navy, and was also involved in the invasions of Italy and Africa. He has been awarded the 1939-1945 Star, Africa Star, Italy Star, France and Germany Star with Atlantic Bar, Defence Medal and the Victory Medal. After the war, he began a career in the motor industry. He retired to Marnhull in Dorset, where he has lived for the past 32 years with wife Mary, a retired headmistress.