D-Day veteran gets surprise honour in Shrewsbury - with pictures
A D-Day veteran was handed France's highest honour during a surprise presentation at a restaurant in Shrewsbury.
Great-great grandfather Reginald Steventon, who is a Second World War King's Shropshire Light Infantry veteran, became a member of the Shrewsbury Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Club last year.
The club, which supports serving members and veterans of the armed forces, meets twice a month at the Chiquito restaurant, in Battlefield Road.
Mr Steventon, of Pump Road, Bomere Heath, thought he was being taken to a normal group get-together yesterday morning.
But when he arrived the 98-year-old was instead greeted by standard bearers and a bugle fanfare.
He then made his way inside, surrounded by scores of guests, and was presented with the Legion d'Honneur, which recognised his efforts in helping to liberate France during the Second World War.
The French Consul, Monsieur Robert Mille, presented Mr Steventon with his medal during a special ceremony.
Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Trelawny, secretary of the Rifles Association, also made a speech outlining why Mr Stevenson had received the medal.
He said Mr Steventon, who was in the second battalion of the light infantry unit, landed on Sword Beach in France on the morning of June 6, 1944.
He pushed south to Caen, fighting against German forces and at one stage he was buried when a trench collapsed in on him as a result of shell fire.
Speaking of his shock, Mr Steventon said: "I hadn't a clue. I thought I was coming for the breakfast club.
"I'm speechless. This is the proudest day of my life."
His 68-year-old son David Steventon, who had travelled from Huddersfield to see his father be presented with the medal, said: "I'm very proud. It's fantastic.
"He's a good man, best father ever. He has always looked after his family."
His daughter, Margaret Wills, 60, of Penzance, Cornwall, also came to the presentation.
She said: "It's very emotional.
"I'm so very, very proud of him.
"I'm so glad he's been honoured in this way. I couldn't miss this for the world."
Amanda Cundall, founder of Shrewsbury Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Club, said it had all started when Mr Steventon asked her to request his military documents from the Ministry of Defence, so that he could apply for a defence discount card, last year.
She said: "When the paperwork came through I saw that Reg held the France and Germany Star and that he was in France in 1944, meaning that he might be eligible for the Legion d'Honneur.
"So having Reg's service details I secretly applied for the medal for Reg on his behalf.
"In January we found out he had been awarded it and somehow we have managed to keep it a secret."
Mr Steventon, who was born and brought up in Telford, joined the armed forces towards the start of the Second World War.
He has three children, six grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.
His working life following the end of the Second World War involved a period at GKN Sankey and he was a foreman there when he retired.
He married his late wife Evelyn in 1938. She died in 1980, aged 61.
Mr Stevenson's current partner Nancy Wood was also at the ceremony yesterday to see him awarded with the honour.
