A GALASHIELS war veteran has been awarded France's highest honour for his role in liberating the country from German occupation.

Adam Kelly, who was awarded a British Empire Medal in the Queen's New Year Honours for his community work, was amongst nine veterans who were awarded The National Order of the Legion Honour (the Legion d'honneur) for their part in the D-Day landings in 1944 at Normandy.

The 94-year-old was decorated for his role as a driver with the 525 Company, 51st Highland Division.

After landing in Normandy he saw action near Caen in northern France and then advanced through the country into Belgium.

Adam, who reached the rank of Colonel, had driven for a local creamery before war broke out.

He told us: "I wasn't long there (the creamery) when the war started.

"I was exempt from conscription while I was working on the farm but as soon as I went to creamery I got my call up papers.

"I did my infantry training with the Seaforth Highlanders up in Fort George, near Inverness, and then went to Chesterfield for my MT training.

"They took a crowd of us into a lorry and asked me what I had been doing before I started training - I said driving a milk tanker and they said 'well done, you have passed'.

"I got called up along with Tony Macari.

"We were fighting the Italians and the Germans at that time and because Tony was Italian they sent him to India and they sent me to Africa.

"I was at El Alamein, Lybia, Tripoli, Tunisia and Italy.

"Then I came home before being sent back out. I was at Normandy, France, Holland, Belgium and Germany."

Adam, who attended the former Roxburgh School in Galashiels, was involved in transporting ammunition, fuel and other vital supplies to the front-line, and took part in the largest invasion in military history - the D-Day beach landings in June 1944.

After leaving the army he was to go onto to operate an ice-cream van in his hometown.

The Legion d'honneur was established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte in recognition of both military and civilian merit.

Membership of the Legion is technically restricted to French nationals but foreign nationals who have served France or the ideals it upholds may also receive the honour.

A ceremony was held at Edinburgh Castle on Monday with Emmanuel Cocher, the French consul general in Scotland, presenting the awards to the nine men.

Among the other recipients was 99-year-old John McMillan from Barnton, Edinburgh, who served as a Major in the Royal Artillery Field Regiment, part of the 15th Scottish Infantry Division.

After landing at Normandy in June 1944, he served throughout the campaign and was awarded the Military Cross in July of that year for acts of exemplary gallantry during active, dangerous operations against the German forces.

A spokesman for the French Consulate in Edinburgh said: "The Consul General decorated nine British veterans for the landing and liberation of France in the presence of nearly 200 people.

"A beautiful way to start the year is to honour those heroes to whom we owe the peace, independence and rediscovered honour of our nation."