A WELL known resident of Hemyock has received a letter from the French Embassy awarding him the medal as a Chevalier of the Legion d’Honneur for his services in the liberation of France in 1944.

The Order of Legion d’Honneur is the highest decoration in France and is awarded to French Nationals and Foreign Nationals who have served France in some notable way.

As a 21-year-old Sam was called up in 1940 and sent to Sherford Camp, Taunton, and after army training was involved in the North Africa campaign which started the same year.

He went on to serve in Palestine where he was involved in the peace-keeping force between the Arabs and Israelis.

Towards the end of the war he was involved in the D-Day invasion and landed at Arromanches with his regiment, 74 Company of Engineers, which prepared the way for armoured vehicles to cross the many obstacles en route East.

His training as a blacksmith provided the skills to lay Bailey Bridges across the many rivers. But on Christmas Day, 1944, he was shot in the chest and taken to hospital in Brussels and was eventually flown back to Stratton St Margaret where he was eventually reunited with his girlfriend Ruby who he married at the end of the war.

The couple have lived in Hemyock all their married lives and have been celebrating their 71st anniversary.

Sam, now 97, is still active around the village while Ruby is 92. They live in a bungalow with their pet parrot who enjoys drinking tea!