One of the first British soldiers to land on D-Day dedicated his MBE to his fallen comrades who he “knew and loved”, as he collected it from the Queen.
Former Royal Engineer Horace “Harry” Billinge was just 18 when he stormed Gold Beach in German-occupied Normandy during the landings on June 6, 1944.
The horrifying scenes he witnessed stayed with him after the Second World War and “inspired him” to raise funds to commemorate those who died in the conflict.
Now aged 94, the sapper from St Austell, Cornwall, received his MBE medal for his services to charitable fundraising and he dedicated it to the 22,442 service personnel killed on D-Day and during the Battle for Normandy.
He joked to ITV News that he will wear his award on his pyjamas on Tuesday night.
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