Bourne navy veteran Cyril Connew receives the Legion d'Honneur for his role in the D-Day Landings in June 1994

A veteran who lied about his age to fight in the Second World War has received a top military honour.

Cyril Connew was awarded the Legion d’Honneur for his part in the D-Day Landings on June 6, 1944.

The medal is France’s highest honour and it has been granted to all British veterans who fought to liberate the country on that day.

Cyril, of Meadow Close, Bourne, was overwhelmed when his medal arrived in the post.

He said: “It’s a fantastic, unexpected honour. My other medals don’t compare.”

The 93-year-old was born in West Ham in 1925. He joined the Navy the age of 17 and went on to serve in the Coastal Forces aboard motor gun and torpedo boats.

He said: “I told them I was 18 and they were so desperate for people to join, I got away with it and they let me in.”

Cyril was based at HMS Midge on the east coast, landing agents in occupied Europe, attacking German shipping and fighting with E-boats.

He is particularly proud of making it into a national newspaper report about an attack on the Germans before he was even officially old enough to fight.

An article in the Daily Herald, dated Tuesday March 30, 1943, states: “Two British motor gunboats tackled five German E-boats off the East Coast of England yesterday - and won.”

On D-Day Cyril’s boat was patrolling the shores to protect landing craft from an E-boat attack.

He said: “The sky was filled with planes. We were coming across the North Sea and we were expecting them to hit each other and come down like raindrops.

“I remember it very clearly.

“We followed the boats in and as soon as they got to shore, our job was done.

“At the time you are so concentrated on what you are doing, you don’t think about anything else. You are not frightened or anything, all you can think about is the job you’re there to do.”

Cyril had already received the D-Day medal but was persuaded to apply for the Legion d’Honneur by his friend Scott Rendle, who visits Cyril as part of the Evergreen Care Trust befriending scheme.

Cyril was contacted by the French Embassy following a decision in 2014 to award the medal to all British D-Day veterans. He admits that at first “I couldn’t be bothered because I already had three medals”, but Scott talked him into it and they researched his military history together.

He said: “I couldn’t believe it when the medal arrived. This one is such an honour. It’s like winning the lottery.”

Scott said: “Sid is so proud to be awarded such an honor. We are getting the medal mounted and he hopes to wear it at this year’s remembrance parade.”

After the war Cyril had hoped to be demobbed in Australia and start a new life abroad, but the Navy had other ideas and he was given the job of minesweeping the North Sea.

He joked: “It was the most boring six months of my life!

“War is a terrible thing but I’m glad it was part of my life. I never had any doubt that I wouldn’t come home.”

He went on to marry his wife Betty in 1950 and they had a daughter Ann.

Cyril worked as a labourer and the couple moved to Bourne in the 1990s to be closer to their daughter.

Betty died a couple of years later but their daughter still lives in Stamford and he has built a firm friendship with Scott, who visits several times a week.

Cyril added: “It’s remarkable living here compared to a big city. Everyone is so friendly.”