French Ambassador decorates British veteran on Remembrance Day

11 November 2021

The Ambassador attended a ceremony at Brookwood Cemetery, where she paid tribute to the French and foreign soldiers who gave their lives in the First and Second World Wars. She was joined by Samantha Cazebonne, Senator for French citizens abroad, Guillaume Bazard, French Consul General in London, and Admiral Hervé Hamelin, Defence Attaché.

Later, the Ambassador placed a wreath at the statue of Charles de Gaulle in Carlton Gardens, London.

In a ceremony at the French Residence, Ambassador Colonna awarded the Légion d’honneur to the Second World War veteran James Collie, 97.

A Lancaster bomber pilot based in the UK during D-Day, Mr Collie was awarded the decoration, France’s highest distinction, in recognition of his bravery.

He was deployed with his squadron several times across the English Channel, flying decoy missions into France and along the Dover Strait to identified targets. The aim was to draw attention away from Normandy itself, disrupt the response from the German military and tie up enemy resources.

The Ambassador said: “At a time when Europe was experiencing its darkest hours, my country was fortunate to be able to count on the support of its closest partner, the UK, and of the brave British people who fought for our common values: freedom, democracy and peace. James Collie was among them as a Lancaster bomber pilot”.

The ceremony follows President François Hollande’s decision in 2014 to award the Légion d’Honneur to British veterans who helped liberate France during the Second World War. More than 6,000 medals have been awarded, and President Emmanuel Macron visited London in June 2020, on the 80th anniversary of General de Gaulle’s Appeal, to present the Légion d’Honneur to the city of London.

Photographs are available on our Flickr account: @franceintheuk