Burnham resident Tony Tricker was named a Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur by Olivier Chambard, Consul General at the French Embassy, on Friday, April 17, celebrating the proud moment with around 40 family and friends.

To celebrate, the 93-year-old enjoyed champagne and canapes at his home before a party and a pint of bitter, his favourite tipple.

Geraldine Sharman, 53, his daughter, said: “It was a beautiful sunny day and the whole experience was more moving than we expected. I am extremely proud.” Mr Tricker joined the Territorial Army through his job at Imperial Chemical Industries in 1939. From there he went on to join the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry before the Second World War broke out and he was called up on September 1939.

He was posted in Northern Ireland before completing his Royal Engineer training in Ripon. He landed in Normandy just 17 hours after the initial landing and was part of the rebuild operation of the utter destruction the men were faced with on arrival. Mr Tricker was later posted in France, Holland, Germany and Iraq. He said: “I’m very proud, it’s quite an honour I suppose.”