A PEEBLESSHIRE veteran has been awarded France’s highest accolade – the Legion d’honneur.

Alfred Goddard, 95, from the 6th Airborne Armoured Recce Regiment, was awarded the accolade for his part in World War II.

The presentation took place at Hartree House, the family home, on Saturday.

He was also presented with a portrait by artist Rebecca Mickleburgh to mark the occasion.

The award comes after Mr Goddard’s efforts, including a mission where he volunteered to lead his tank troop in preparation for D-Day.

This saw him and his men take off from RAF Tarrant Rushton on June 6, 1944, inside their tanks, within Hamilcar gliders.

Their gliders were towed across the Channel to behind enemy lines, where the tow lines were released and the gliders ‘landed’. The tanks then broke out and completed the mission.

Before the regiment set off, they were paid a visit by the King and his daughters Elizabeth and Margaret, to wish them luck.

Daughter-in-law Stephanie Goddard described how proud the family is: “Saturday was an absolutely fabulous event.

“He was invited to Edinburgh Castle back in January, but unfortunately he wasn’t well enough to attend. The Consul General agreed to come here and gave a wonderful speech. The British Legion from Hamilton also attended and there were four generations listening intently to Alfred’s stories.

“Everyone had a wonderful time and Alfred absolutely loves the painting.

“One of Alfred’s favourite things is his grandfather clock which has been passed on through generations, so in the portrait the clock has been painted with the time at seven o’clock, the time they landed on the mission.

“Alfred was critically wounded in the war and sent to Manchester Royal Infirmary, where he was treated by a nurse called Doreen. She made sure he survived and the pair fell in love and married in 1946 and were together up until when Doreen sadly died two years ago.

“It is so fascinating hearing all of the stories and we are very proud of him.”