D-Day Vets To Receive Legion D'Honneur

By the end of 2015, hundreds of British D-Day veterans look set to receive the Legion d'Honneur, the highest honour that the French government can bestow.

People looking for ex army jobs will be pleased to read this Western Morning News report on the news, featuring defence minister Mark Lancaster who told MPs that authorities in France are now prioritising cases involving veterans who are either approaching their 100th birthday or are seriously ill.

"To further assist the Legion authorities, we are resubmitting all cases where awards have not already been made at an agreed rate of 100 per week to avoid overtaxing the system," Mr Lancaster said, adding "hurt and upset" had in fact been caused by the months of delays that were seen because the Ministry of Defence had not anticipated the level of demand for the honour.

It was thought that only a few hundred people would apply, but some 3,000 applications were received - and this number is on the increase all the time.

The Legion of Honour was first established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte and is separated into five classifications - Chevalier, Officier, Commandeur, Grand Officier and Grand Croix. In order to be considered for the order, those in question need to demonstrate flawless performance in their line of work and go above and beyond what would typically be expected.

The military distinctions are awarded for service or for extreme bravery. Last year, the French government told the Ministry of Defence it was keen to reward the acts of heroism displayed by veterans at the Normandy landings, while those involved in other campaigns to liberate France would also be considered eligible for the honour.