A SILSDEN man who took part in the Second World War's decisive D-Day landings has been posthumously honoured by the French government.

Bernard Rush died in September last year, aged 91. But his wife Catherine collected France’s highest decoration, the Legion d’Honneur, on his behalf.

During the June 6 1944 landings, Mr Rush was a 21-year-old Royal Navy motor mechanic on a barge, which was ferrying engineering personnel across the English Channel to Omaha Beach, Normandy.

He and his colleagues survived rough seas and a collision with another barge which seriously damaged their own vessel, forcing them to pump out the sea water surging in.

Mrs Rush, 84, was presented with her late husband's medal alongside five surviving D-Day veterans at a special event attended by the French ambassador at Yorkshire Air Museum, near York.

"It was a lovely day, very natural and no pomp and ceremony," she said. "The woman from the French embassy was brilliant and really down to earth.

"Bernard would have been absolutely over the moon, he would have loved to have been there. We are so proud of him.

"He said it was heartbreaking to land at Omaha because the American soldiers were there picking up bodies.

"He just got on with what he had to do, and prayed that the shells flying overhead wouldn't land on him."

She explained that the letter confirming her husband was eligible for the Legion d'Honneur arrived shortly before Easter.

Commenting on his D-Day experiences when interviewed last year, Mr Rush said: "It doesn't seem like 70 years ago. It feels like it all happened yesterday.

"When we landed a signal came through that the Germans were counter-attacking, and that everyone had to get off the beach.

"But in the end the Germans didn't attack, or maybe they were repelled.

"Our bigger ships further out to sea were still firing inland. The shells passing over us sounded like express trains."

Mr Rush had lived in East Dene, Silsden, and was with the Royal Navy from 1942 to 1946.

He was originally from Warrington but lived in Silsden from the age of seven.

He met his future wife at a church's St Patrick's night dance. The couple had two sons and two daughters and celebrated 60 years of marriage in 2012.

They spent 21 years with Meals on Wheels, collecting and delivering meals to elderly people. They also cooked and served meals at Keighley’s Salvation Army branch.