Normandy Vets Face Delays Over Honours

There are concerns that those veterans who saw service in Normandy may well pass on before they are officially recognised for their bravery and actions on D-Day, those seeking ex forces jobs may be interested to learn.

France promised last year that all surviving veterans who fought to liberate the country would receive the Legion d’Honneur but according to the Daily Express, 3,000 people have applied for the honour but fewer than 250 of those have in fact been presented with their medal.

George Batts of the Normandy Veterans’ Association said: “There’s the Americans, Canadians, the British, the Indians and everyone else who saw service in Normandy. It’s a hell of an undertaking and frankly I don’t think the French did their homework.”

Now, the Ministry of Defence is having to resubmit names of British veterans because the French government was so overwhelmed with the number of applications that came flooding in from all over the world.

Last month, we blogged about a Western Morning News report on the matter, with defence minister Mark Lancaster telling MPs that French authorities are prioritising cases where people are either seriously ill or approaching their 100th birthday.

If you’re yet to apply, you can download a form on the official UK government website. All veterans, including those who served in the RAF and Royal Navy who worked to support the landings, are eligible for the medal. You can either submit your application by post or online. Find further details on how to apply here.