Legion d'Honneur awarded to Black Country veterans

The D-Day landings started on June 6, 1944, and saw the Allied Forces carry out the largest ever seaborne invasion.

Now servicemen from the Black Country who were there on that day have been awarded with de la Legion d'Honneur, the highest decoration awarded in France.

French President Francois Hollande decided last year, during the 70th anniversary of the landings, the country needed to do more to thank those who had fought so bravely to help free the country from Nazi control.

Jack Hill, 92, from Quarry Bank, and Dennis Nightingale, 91, from Perton, both received their medals from Robert Mille, an Honorary consul based in Birmingham.

The ceremony, which also honoured Alf Dimmock, 90, from Quarry Bank, who is yet to receive his medal, was held in Christ Church, Quarry Bank.

Mr Hill, who served with Navy's British Yard Mine Sweepers, said: "I was with the inshore mine-sweepers but I never actually landed on the beaches.

"We had a three-inch gun at the front and cannons on port and starboard, but we were under strict instructions not to fire them unless absolutely necessary.

"We kept watch along the coast just up from Gold Beach.

"We left from the Isle of Wight and there were thousands of vessels and boats. It was quite a sight.

"My wife was actually secretary for the Royal Engineers at the time and was waving off the boats but I didn't know her then, which was quite a coincidence."

Mr Hill said he only joined the Navy in 1943 because he had previously been working in a reserved occupation, which had kept him out of the forces.

"I ended up based in Malta from most of the war and my younger brother, Frank, joined me too," he said.

"I'll never forget when the war was over and the first thing we saw was Ireland.

"It really is an emerald island when you see it from a boat and that vision has always stuck in my head."

Mr Nightingale was the veteran who first made contact Mr Mille to get the medals presented on Friday.

He also served with the mine-sweepers and was one of the first to land on the beaches.

"We arrived at 3am but it was by mistake really because we were grounded," he said.

"We had to shut the ship down and remain in complete silence, hoping no one would spot us.

"I worked as a mine-sweeper and it was our job to go out in a wooden boat and use electro-magnetism to blow up the mines. We blew 23 up in one day."

Alf Dimmock, 90, from Quarry Bank, was with The Desert Rats and just 18 when he landed in Normandy.

"We all came on boats," he said.

"I was a private and I remember everything being very quiet at first.

"I was there for six days before I was shot in the wrist. The bullet went straight through and I was sent home."

Mr Mille, who handed out the medals, said after the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings it was decided not enough had been done to remember the heroes.

"All they ever say is they did their duty but the French President decided that, as a country, we needed to do more than just say thank you."

The Reverend David Hoskins, rector of the Brierley Hill team, who led the service, said it had been an honour to be part of the event.