Ilkley resident Ron Pike who as been awarded the Legion d'Honneur
ILKLEY resident Ronald Pike has been awarded the Legion d'Honneur, France's highest honour for taking part in the D day landings in 1944.
Ron Pike, 94, served on the HMS Bridlington 9th minesweeper flotilla and was involved in the invasion of France.
Experiencing both bombing and shelling by enemy forces, Ron said: "Minesweeping in any event was a risky business at the best of times!"
After D day the 9th minesweepers swept ahead of the American war ships who bombarded Cherbourg when the army was unable to make progress because of artillery fire from the enemy lines.
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