France honours Irish D-day veteran

One of the last surviving Irish D-Day veterans has dedicated the award of France’s highest honour to the lives of all those who took part in the landings.

Michael d’Alton, 93, was given the Legion d’Honneur on board the French navy ship Somme in Dublin Port in recognition of his role at Omaha beach on June 6, 1944.

The former sub-lieutenant, who steered a landing craft tank to Normandy, joins an elite band of Irish men to receive an award created by Napoleon, and France’s highest honour, civil or military.