SHIPMATES have received medals for their bravery over 70 years ago at a critical stage in the battle to beat Nazi Germany.

The five sailors who all fought during the D-Day offences in June 1944, have been honoured with the Legion d' Honneur, one of France's highest military accolades.

Alan Brown, who was too frail to attend the special ceremony at Skipton Golf Club on Saturday October 15, received his medal at Bradford Royal Infirmary, in September and sadly died shortly afterwards on September 29, aged 92

Joining Norman Robinson of the Oval, Skipton, at the event organised by Skipton's Royal Naval Association, were Denis Macro, Edward Shipley and Robert Taylor, all of Colne.

Eighteen months ago Alan and Norman were honoured by the Russian Federation receiving the Ushakov medal for their heroic service in the Arctic convoys during the Second World War.

Alan, of Skipton, joined the Royal Navy as an 18 year-old and after training was drafted to HMS Matchless, a destroyer on convoy duty. Later he joined 63 Flotilla coastal forces and ended up commanding a torpedo boat and was present when the Allies stormed ashore on D-Day, June 6, 1944.

One of his most memorable moments was his meeting with Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who arrived in Arromanches, in Northern France, to see how the Normandy landings were going. Alan's motor torpedo boat had transported Churchill and Lord Ismay from Utah beach.

D-Day saw Norman, 92, serving on a vessel among the fleet sweeping the English Channel keeping at bay any German military ships attempting to attack the Allied invasion force.

He joined the Royal Navy in January 1943, aged 18, and trained as a telegraphist, later being drafted to the light cruiser, HMS Belfast, which is now moored on the Thames.

Belfast was the ship which detected the presence of the German battle cruiser Scharnhorst, one of the most powerful war ships in the Nazi navy, and Norman was there on Boxing Day, 1943, when it was finally sunk.

Belfast was in the thick of the battle using its torpedoes to help cripple the mighty warship which went down with only 36 survivors out of the 1,968 strong crew.

Alan's daughter Joscelyne Durrant said she was extremely proud that her father’s bravery during the war had been recognised. She praised staff on Ward 30 at BRI for the way they have cared for him.

“Receiving the Légion d’Honneur was such a great honour and it meant so much to dad,” she said.

Ward sister Jessica Hodgins said staff were very proud to have hosted such a special event for Alan and his family.

Alan was a former president of the Yorkshire Ramblers Club as well as a past chairman of the Skipton U3A and a member of many local societies.