Joe O’Neil, 92, of Helmsman Rise, St Leonards, was awarded the Legion d’Honneur by Captain Francois Jean, the French honorary consul, at a ceremony on Saturday (September 24). Group Captain Peter Holland MBE RAF Ret’d said: “Joe served in the Royal Navy from 1942 until 1946, seeing action in the Atlantic, the Western Approaches and the Pacific. But it is for his part in the liberation of France this honour is given. Joe was part of a combined operations force. For some time before the invasion he was training to clear the beaches of land mines to enable troops to land more safely. The training involved filling a landing craft with explosive material to project at the beach and so detonate the planted mines. “On June 5, 1944 his landing craft prepared to leave for France as part of what was known as the Hedgerow Flotilla. However, the mission was postponed for 24 hours due to horrendous weather. Early the next day Joe’s landing craft and several others like it were released to the open sea to make their way to ‘Gold Beach‘, Arromanches, ahead of the main landing force. “On arrival the ‘bombs’ fitted in the well deck were launched at the beach to clear it of mines before the troops landed. Joe and his shipmates came under heavy attack from German forces and sustained several losses. After they discharged their bombs they pulled away towards the open sea avoiding craft bound for the beach. They were hoisted up onto a Canadian aircraft carrier, and sent to the sick bay. Their medicine - a glass of rum. For those men, it was indeed the longest day.” Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live. Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on. 1) Make our website your homepage at www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/ 2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/hastingsobserver 3) Follow us on Twitter @HastingsObs 4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here. And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out! The Hastings Observer - always the first with your local news. Be part of it.