CRONULLA World War II veteran Eric Barton, 92, has received the French Legion of Honour for his service to France.
The Legion of Honour is an order of distinction established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 and is the highest decoration bestowed in France.
Mr Barton was one of 14 Australian veterans who fought for the liberation of France and who were conferred the rank of Knight in the Legion of Honour, announced by French President François Hollande on the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Mr Barton attended the 70th anniversary celebrations of VE Day in Paris on May 8.
Cronulla RSL Memorial Club has had the Legion of Honour mounted with Mr Barton's other medals.
Mr Barton joined the RAAF in 1942 and flew Lancaster bombers with RAF 186 Squadron.
As a pilot and captain of seven air crew flying bomber aircraft types, he flew 45 missions between October, 1944 and March, 1945.
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in July for "skill and fortitude in operations against the enemy".
The honour was conferred at a ceremony Sydney recently by the French ambassador Christophe Lecourtier.
"This is France's way to express gratitude towards those who risked their lives for the liberation of France," Mr Lecourtier said.
"We want to remember what Australia did for France, a country which, twice in a generation became the ultimate battlefield.
"It is a way to express once again, as visibly as possible, how deeply grateful France is for the sacrifice of these young men that had come from so far, from such a beautiful country, first to save, then to liberate France from a dreadful enemy."
After Mr Barton received the honour, Cronulla RSL Memorial Club offered to pay to have it mounted on a medal rack with his other six medals.
Last week, he was presented with the mounted Legion of Honour by the club's president Ian Bourke.
"What Eric has done in 45 missions over Europe, and his courage and humility should be recognised here as well as in France," Mr Bourke said.
"As a club it is the least we could do for a distinguished veteran who grew up in the shire," he said.
Mr Barton said he looked on the award as not for himself but for his mates and his country.
