On Saturday March 11th, two representatives of the Caen-Portsmouth Friendship Committee (Peter Eddis and I) attended the Westlake Brothers Memorial Service at Portsmouth Guildhall's Cenotaph.
The Westlake Brothers Memorial Group is a group of people from our twin city of Caen and its region, who come together to remember the sacrifice of the three Canadian brothers from Mount Dennis, Toronto in Canada during the battle of Normandy in 1944.
The Westlake service was followed by a presentation ceremony of la Légion d'honneur by Captain François Jean, the Consul Honoraire of France, on behalf of French president Francois Hollande. The medal was originally created by Napoleon Bonaparte and is the highest decoration in France.
It was an honour to see two British Veterans of the D-Day landings, receiving the highest of accolades the French Republic can bestow upon anyone, for their services in the liberation of France in 1944.
The Légion d'honneur was presented to Mr Frank Simm and Mr David Clark, both of whom participated in the D-Day Landings on June 6th 1944.
Update late April 2017.
It is with sadness that we heard on April 18th 2017 that Mr Frank Simm has passed away. He was nearly 98. We sincerely hope that legion d'honneur he received at this ceremony in Portsmouth from the Consul Honoraire of France, will serve as one of many lasting memorials to him and all the things he achieved in his long life.
Le bleuet de France (The French Cornflower) is the symbol of Remembrance worn by the French where members of the British Commonwealth would wear poppies. In this image can also be seen a Canadian pin, which depicts poppies and the maple leaf. The Westlake Brothers being three Canadian brothers who fought and died in the Battle of Normandy in 1944.
Mr David Clark pictured with his daughter and some of the Westlake Memorial Group in the background.
The above gallery features a few images from the Westlake Ceremony held at the Guildhall Cenotaph in Portsmouth:
The arrival of the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth and his opening of the ceremony.
The Speech by Captain François Jean.
The awarding of the Légion d'honneur to Mr Frank Simm and to Mr David Clark.
Mr David Clark with his daughter and the members of the Westlake Brothers Memorial Group.
The two recipients of the Légion d'honneur with Captain François Jean, The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth and The Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Nigel Atkinson Esq.
Mr David Clark receiving thanks from a member of the Westlake Memorial Group
The members of the Westlake Memorial Group with the two recipients.
This same weekend marked the closure of the Portsmouth D-Day Museum with the Overlord Tapestry for a massive refit, the Museum was therefore offering free entry.
I took some members of the Westlake Memorial Group to the Museum as it linked very well with the purpose of their visit to Portsmouth.