VETERANS who played a part in the liberation of France are to receive official cross-Channel recognition at a Remembrance festival, next month.

At least 11 of the surviving 18 North-East soldiers who took part in the D-Day landings, as the Allied troops began the counter-offensive to oust the occupying Germans forces, will receive France’s highest military honour at the Festival of Remembrance Concert, at Durham Cathedral.

Legion D’Honneur medals will be presented to the men, all now in their 90s, by the honorary French Consul for the North-East and Cumbria, Dr Andrew Robinson.

Medals are presented in recognition of those whose bravery and deeds have benefited the French nation and in recent years it was decided all foreign servicemen and women who took part in the war-time liberation should be awarded La Legion D’Honneur.

As many of those involved in the Normandy landings and the subsequent offensive have since died, French authorities are striving to award the surviving veterans as soon as possible.

Dr Robinson said: “I can’t think of a more fitting event and place for this presentation to take place.

“The Festival of Remembrance Concert at Durham Cathedral is such a wonderful event, the focus of so many who wish to commemorate and celebrate those who have served with our armed forces.

“It will be an honour to present these men with their medals on behalf of the French government as thanks for their service liberating France during World War Two.”

Concert organiser Major Eric Ingram said it was an honour that the festival was chosen as the occasion to make the presentation.

“The concert aims to remember those who have given their lives for their country and serving soldiers who put their lives at risk for out liberties today, so could not be more fitting.”

Among the veterans who will receive the medals is Charles Eagles, an ex-Durham Light Infantryman, who survived the traumatic landing at Gold beach in Normandy, on D-Day.

Ninety-year-old Mr Eagles said at least 78 men in his platoon, bomb and booby-trap disposal specialists, were killed by the time he was shot and injured, and returned home for recuperation, in the weeks after D-Day.

“It’s a nice surprise that we’re getting these medals, I only feel sorry for the lads who didn’t make it,” added the former 9th Battalion DLI sergeant.

The festival is on Saturday November 7, at 7pm, with tickets, priced £10 - £18, available from the Gala Theatre box office, in Durham, via www.galadurham,co.uk, or by ringing (03000) 266600.

Funds raised on the night will be donated to the ABF Soldiers’ Charity.

Up to seven veterans will also be awarded the Legion D’Honneur at the annual Remembrance Day commemorations at the Yorkshire Air Museum and Allied Air Forces Memorial at Elvington, near York, on November 8.

The event begins at 11am at the French Memorial on York Road, Elvington, where hundreds of villagers, supporters, veterans and children from across UK and France will march.

At 1.30pm a special public service of remembrance and wreath-laying ceremony takes place at the museum, which will be attended by representatives of the RAF, French Air Force and other countries.

During that service the Honorary French consul, Jeremy Burton, will present the British veterans with the Légion d’Honneur.