D-Day: Legion d'Honneur for sailor who rescued 400 troops

William Walker was presented with the medal at his care home in Colchester

A World War Two veteran who helped to bring home nearly 400 casualties on D-Day has been honoured.

William Walker, 95, was presented with the Legion d'Honneur by representatives of the French Embassy at Springfields care home near Colchester.

He said it was "an honour" to be recognised for his contribution to the liberation of France.

"A lot of people were sacrificed on D-Day and it's a medal for them as well, really," he said.

As a 19-year-old, Mr Walker served as a seaman on HM LST-65, transporting troops to Normandy for the D-Day landings in June 1944 and returning the war-wounded to Southampton.

William Walker and his fellow sailors brought hundreds of D-Day casualties back to Britain

He has since written about his memories of working around the clock on the D-Day operation, when in one trip the vessel brought home nearly 400 injured soldiers.

"When the ambulances started arriving, everyone that could be spared helped to unload the wounded," he wrote.

"I was one of the four helmsmen given this job. I saw at first hand the personal cost of war."

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In later landings in France, HM LST-65 would transport the Guards Armoured Division, which included a young Robert Runcie, later Archbishop of Canterbury, and future home secretary Lord Whitelaw.

He later served on the minesweeper HMS Fraserburgh before he left the Royal Navy in July 1946.

Of his Legion d'Honneur, he said: "It's an honour to get this award. It's one of the highest awards that France can give."

The Legion d'Honneur was presented by representatives from the French Embassy