A 95-year old D-Day veteran from Oaksey received the Legion d’Honneur from the French Consul yesterday (Jan27).

Stanley Hancock, who was born and has always lived in Oaksey apart from wartime service, was sent to Normandy as a Sherman tank driver to take part in the D-Day invasion in June 1944.

After surviving the first day, he moved to Caen against fierce German resistance, taking over three weeks to cover the eleven miles.

As a trained fitter, he was later assigned to repair and recover tanks.

Earlier in the war, he had served in Sicily and Italy and was mentioned in Despatches in North Africa for anticipating and preventing a dangerous situation involving five British Scout light-armoured cars on a recce patrol.

On his discharge from the Army in 1946, he returned to Oaksey and worked as a lorry driver on various farms.

He received the award of a Chevalier of the Legion d’Honneur from the French Consul for South West England, Mme Josette Lebrat, in the presence of the High Sheriff of Wiltshire, Lady Gooch, the Under Sheriff of Wiltshire, Mr David Lewis, Oaksey folk and children from Oaksey Primary School.

Oaksey resident Arun Desai, himself a former military officer, who has organised the presentation, said: “Stanley Hancock is an amazing man, who served his country with distinction and conspicuous bravery. This award is richly deserved.”