Page 6 - Hunstanton Town & Around - December 2016
P. 6
6 Hunstanton Town & Around December 2016 Tel: 01485 533422 email: editor@townandaround.net
Legion d’Honneur presented to Harry Brown
Harry with his family from left son Peter Brown, granddaughters Kerry and Keelie Brown and Daughter-in-law Gill Brown
urrounded by family and friends war veteran Harry Brown was
presented with the Legion d’Honneur medal by Sir Henry
SBellingham MP on Tuesday 8th November at Hunstanton Day
Centre.
Harry served from April 1942 in the Navy during the war years
aboard Motor Torpedo Boats (MTB’s) used mainly for mine sweeping,
enemy coastal and U Boat attacks and as escorts for larger vessels.
Aboard HMS Aggressive and sailing from Falmouth under orders
dated 5th June 1944, the MTB was acting as a minesweeper and escort
to a troopship full of USA servicemen and equipment for the D-Day
landings. Harry said: “There were at least two Divisions of American
troops waiting to go, one was the 29th Infantry.
“We sailed for France and moored off Omaha, the most terrible of
the Beachheads that suffered the most American casualties; it’s too
awful to remember.”
Harry and his crew’s job was to remove the casualties from the
water and get them to the hospital ships further back. Harry described
the sea as being ‘red with blood’. Their work off Omaha lasted about a
week.
1945 found him at the surrender of the German Troops in the
Channel Islands and Harry completed his service in May 1946.
Presenting the medal Sir Henry Bellingham said: “This is a very
proud moment; if it wasn’t for you and your generation we wouldn’t be
here today.
“Your fighting for our freedom means we have a free country where
our dreams and aspiration can become a reality.
“At Omaha Beach Harry saved lives and helped win the war, and it
is an honour for me to present him with this beautiful medal today.”
In a letter from the French Embassy, Sylvie Bermann wrote: “The
President of the Republic has appointed you the rank of Chevalier in Harry and Sir Henry
the Ordre national de la Legion d’honneur. As we contemplate this