TWO brave Second World War veterans have been honoured for their heroism during the Normandy landings.

Geoff Thompson, 85, from Pocklington, and Harry Sellers, 86, of The Mount, received the French equivalent of an OBE medal, the Chevalier of the Legion D'Honor, at a lavish reception at the French embassy in London.

The pensioners, who played crucial roles in the historic D-Day landings in 1944, were awarded the medals to mark the 60th anniversary of the battle.

Geoff was a staff sergeant in the Glider Pilot Regiment and was involved in the successful Pegasus Bridge operation which blocked the German advance to the beaches.

Harry was a corporal in the 7th Battalion of the Parachute Regiment and helped to defend the town of Ranville from the advancing Nazis. "It was a bit rough all the way through," he said. "We had to overcome being scared otherwise we wouldn't have survived. I was thinking about getting home."

Harry, who is suffering from cancer, said it was an "enormous honour" to receive the medal. "I can't believe it," he said.

"I never thought I would get anything at all - it was a complete surprise. "I'm proud to be in the Paras and for what I did."

Geoff, whose glider was towed by a Halifax Bomber during the operation, said the situation was "grim".

"All we could think about was getting back to our own lines," he said. "We just got on with it and didn't think about what was happening. I was quite amazed to get the medal - it was a great honour."

Donald Marshall, chairman of the York branch of the Parachute Regimental Association, said: "These were the achievements of good soldiers and we've got a lot to thank them for.

"They are a couple of great old boys and these medals give them the recognition they deserve."

Airborne troops led the D-Day landings in a combined parachute and glider assault, to throw a net of protection around the Normandy beaches.

Updated: 10:26 Wednesday, March 16, 2005