Resident At Lord Harris Court Presented With A Legion Of Honour
Louis Bloom, resident at RMBI care home Lord Harris Court in Berkshire, has been presented with the insignia of the Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur, the highest decoration in France, by the French Ambassador Madame Sylvie Bermann.
The Legion of Honour was awarded to all surviving D-Day veterans, announced by French President Hollande on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of D-Day in 2014.
Louis, who has been living at Lord Harris Court since July 2005, initially served the Royal Navy on an arctic convoy in 1940, for which he also received the Arctic Star award in 2015.
Later, he trained as a radar mechanic and, as Leading Radar Mechanic Bloom, he served on HMS Fancy, an Algerine class minesweeper. Fancy was one of the ships sweeping the Channel of mines on 6 June in order to ensure safe passage for the invasion fleet.
The French Ambassador offered Louis Bloom her “warmest congratulations on this high honour”, recognising his involvement in the liberation of France during WWII. She added: “We owe our freedom and security to your dedication because you were ready to risk your life.”
