One of the first British soldiers to set foot in Berlin at the end of the Second World War has been awarded France’s highest honour.
Jack Chalmers, who served in the 11th Hussars, was given the National Order of the Legion of Honour for his part in helping to liberate France.
A letter from the French ambassador states that the Scone man risked his life during “acknowledged military engagement” and confers on him the rank of chevalier or knight.
The modest 93-year-old, who also served as a Desert Rat, declined to elaborate on his heroics but continues to have health issues as a result of being injured.
The pensioner, who was serving with the 11th Hussars at the time, said: “I landed on Gold beach on D-Day.
“I was wounded at a place called Aunay-sur-Odon our armoured car went over a mine and I was wounded in the lower limbs. Then I carried on right through Belgium and Holland.
“On Boxing Day 1944 I was wounded again at a place called Gebroek in Holland. It was on the Julianna Canal and we were attacked at 3.30am.
“It was so cold that morning that the mines that we’d put out to protect us were frozen over. The Germans realised this and walked over the top of them and attacked us in this farm.
“The only thing we could do was get out of the way because there was only one way in and one way out, so we had to get out. I’m not going to say what I did there but I’ve been walking about with shrapnel in my head since it happened.”
Mr Chalmers, who reenlisted in the regular army at the end of the war, paid tribute to his fallen comrades.
He said: “People ask what it’s like going to war but it’s like going to work because you are doing it every day of the week. I have a medal here but my thoughts go to my friends who didn’t come back and didn’t get a medal. They were doing the same thing I was doing and they never got anything for their efforts.”