STRATFORDIAN George Mead has been awarded the Legion of Honour medal.
Now aged 92, George was part of the first wave of soldiers to go ashore on Sword Beach in northern France on D-Day with the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire First Regiment.
After surviving the beach landing he helped liberate the French village of Ranville, engaging in hand-to-hand fighting with German soldiers.
George was badly injured as the fight continued inland to Caen and Falaise and he had to return to Britain to recover. When he was fit to fight again he was sent to Palestine.
George returned to Normandy for the 50th and 60th anniversaries of D-Day to take part in the medal presentations.
The ‘Legion D’honneur’ is the highest French order for military efforts and was awarded to the veteran for his efforts during the Second World War. George was presented the medal at Stratford Town Hall by French Consul Robert Mille on behalf of President Francois Hollande and the French Government.
