A 100-year-old D-Day veteran from Cardiff has been honoured with France's highest military award, eight decades after his heroic actions during the Normandy landings.
From Teenage Sailor to War Hero
John Fiddler was just 19 years old when he served as a supply assistant on a tank landing ship with the Royal Navy during the pivotal D-Day operations. Now, at the remarkable age of 100, he has finally received the Legion D'Honneur during a special ceremony at HMS Cambria in his hometown of Cardiff.
His daughter, Allyson Fiddler, shared her father's characteristic humility, stating: "Like so many of my father's generation, he, too, would emphasise that he was just doing his duty." She described the occasion as "a proud and happy occasion to receive this recognition from the Republic of France."
Remembering the War Years
Mr Fiddler's wartime memories include a particularly British disappointment - returning to dry land only to find the pubs already empty. "Dad was two days short of his 20th birthday when the ship he was on docked in Milford Haven on 8th of May 1945," his daughter recalled. "He would recount that, very regrettably, by the time he and his shipmates had got onto dry land, the pubs had already been drunk dry."
The veteran expressed his delight at receiving the medal, describing it as "a great honour indeed." This recognition comes after the French government's 2014 decision to honour all D-Day veterans for their efforts in liberating France in 1944.
A Life of Service and Recognition
Originally from Edinburgh, Mr Fiddler settled in Cardiff in 1976 following a four-year tour as a civil servant with the British Army in Germany. His naval service extended beyond the D-Day landings, having also served on HMS Holmes, a frigate deployed on convoys and anti-submarine patrols across the Atlantic, English Channel and North Sea.
French ambassador to the UK, Helene Treheux-Duchene, who presented the honour, said: "It is a great honour for me to recognise and express our country's heartfelt gratitude to a hero who helped liberate France." She emphasised the unbreakable friendship between France and the UK, noting that "through this award, France wants to honour John Fiddler as the perfect example of an individual who deserves our endless gratitude."
In his characteristically modest response, Mr Fiddler simply said: "Thank you, you're all very kind people, thank you very much."
