FOUR French Resistance fighters are to given MBEs for services to the UK in the Second World War.
The men, who are the only surviving Compagnons of the Order of Liberation are to be given the honorary awards as French President Emanuel Macron visits London today.
Centenarian Edgard Tupët-Thomé , Daniel Bouyjou-Cordier , 99, Hubert Germain, 99, and Pierre Simonet, 98, played a significant role in facilitating the Allies’ rapid advance through France after the Normandy invasion of 1944.
Their nominations come as President Macron visits the UK to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Charles de Gaulle’s broadcast to occupied France after the Nazi invasion.
General de Gaulle was given special permission by Winston Churchill to give his ‘Appel’ from the BBC directly to his country, a move considered to have sparked the formation of the French Resistance.
During his visit, Mr Macron will meet the Prince of Wales and then watch a flypast by the Red Arrows and their French equivalent, La Patrouille de France with Boris Johnson.
The Prime Minister said: “Eighty years ago Charles de Gaulle, the leader of the French Resistance, arrived in London knowing that the values of freedom, tolerance and democracy that Britain and France shared were under threat. He pledged that we would stand together to defend those values and protect our citizens from those bent on destroying us. “
He said the veterans “symbolise the enduring depth and strength of the friendship between our two countries.” and added: “They are heroes, and I am immensely proud that as a nation we are paying tribute to their courage and sacrifice in defending us and the whole world from fascism.
“The struggles we face today are different to those we confronted together 80 years ago. But I have no doubt that the UK and France will continue to rise to every new challenge and seize every opportunity that lies ahead.”
Mr Tupët-Thomé, from Bourg-la-Reine took part as a Sergeant in the attacks in Lorraine in September 1939 and then in Belgium in May 1940.
Mr Simonet, from Hanoi, was part of the Expeditionary Force whose mission was to rally French West Africa (AOF) to Free France in Dakar.
Mr Bouyjou-Cordier, from Bordeaux was pursued by the Gestapo and escaped through the Pyrenees before travelling to England in May 1944. He was appointed head of the Bureau of Intelligence and Action’s agent parachuting section.
Mr Germain , from Paris, engaged in the Free French Forces from the outset and went on to serve in Egypt, Tunisia and Italy. He took part in the landing in Provence in August 1944 and ended the war in the southern Alps.
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