A British D-Day veteran from Somerset has passed away as 'a happy man' after his final wish was granted, receiving France's highest military honour just days before his death at age 100. Don Butt, who stormed Juno Beach in the first wave of the Normandy landings on June 6, 1944, was awarded the prestigious Légion d'Honneur medal in a bedside ceremony on January 10, 2026.
A Race Against Time for Recognition
The poignant presentation came after what family members described as 'a race against time' with French authorities to secure the recognition before Mr Butt's health deteriorated further. The veteran, who had enlisted in the Royal Marines at just 17 years old, received the medal only 11 days before his passing on the following Wednesday.
'It Would Complete My Life'
In his final interviews from his Somerset care home, Mr Butt had described the French honour as 'very important' to him, stating it would 'complete his life' and represent the final missing piece in his collection of military medals. His daughter, Karen Cetin, 60, from Cheddar, Somerset, revealed: 'Dad's words speak for themselves - the medal was all he was waiting for. He said it did mean everything to him.'
Ms Cetin added: 'He had been deteriorating for the last six weeks and had given up, I think. He had had enough. But there were certain people who were really good and tried to really push it with French authorities. It was clearly a race against time and we all feel, him having that medal, he just thought "I can go now".'
The Normandy Experience
Mr Butt, who spent most of his working life in the quarry industry after the war, had been remarkably modest about his wartime experiences, only speaking about his role in the Normandy landings with friends and family decades later. He believed initially that he was 'too young' to be entitled to a medal, as his officers had prevented him from fully disembarking onto the beach on D-Day due to his age.
Nevertheless, the veteran recounted clinging to ropes in the water while surrounded by flying bombs and bullets, watching friends and fellow marines killed before his eyes. 'The sea was very rough and we were surrounded by all the carnage of the war,' he remembered. 'There were shots going off everywhere, shells, bombs. I remember all that. I was frightened of course, but after a few minutes you sort of settle down and get used to it in a strange way.'
The Path to Recognition
The journey to secure Mr Butt's Légion d'Honneur was not straightforward. After telling his story to a fellow marine decades after the war, efforts began to secure the award from French authorities. The first application in 2024 was rejected for undisclosed reasons, but a second application last year, made with guidance from the Ministry of Defence, was successful.
The medal was accompanied by a letter from Hélène Duchêne, the Ambassador of France to the United Kingdom, dated January 6, 2026. The correspondence recognised Mr Butt's 'steadfast involvement in the Liberation of France' and appointed him 'the rank of Chevalier in the Ordre national de la Légion d'Honneur by decree of 13 June 2025.'
A Life Well Lived
Ms Cetin described her father as 'the kindest, most modest man' who 'never complained and even when he was laid on the bed really ill he would lift his arm up to cover his mouth. He really was an old school gentleman.'
After the war, Mr Butt married Margurite in 1947 and settled in Worle, Somerset, where they enjoyed 66 years of marriage until her passing 11 years ago. The father-of-four and great-great grandfather had previously been awarded an 'end of war' medal along with other honours from Germany and the Pacific, but the French recognition held particular significance as his final ambition.
The veteran's funeral will be held on February 26, 2026, marking the end of a remarkable life that spanned a century and included one of history's most significant military operations. His story serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by the wartime generation and the importance of recognising their contributions, even eight decades later.
