A bit of an old story but I found it whilst looking for information on 10 Squadron.
http://www.dva.gov.au/vetaffairs/mar2005/page1.pdf Quote:
As Australia and her allies gear up to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, six Australian veterans have been awarded France’s greatest decoration, the Legion of Honour.
Five of the WWII veterans were decorated by the French Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Hamlaoui Mekachera, in a ceremony at the Australian War Memorial attended by Australia’s Veterans’ Affairs Minister, De-Anne Kelly Royal Australian Navy veterans Frank Appleton and Bernard Nelson, and RAAF veterans Tom Hughes, Sir Brian Inglis and William Kaus received the prestigious French honour in recognition of the service of Australians during the liberation of France.
Australian Army veteran Leslie Coleman was unable to attend the Legion of Honour presentation and is scheduled to receive his medal in a private ceremony.
Mrs Kelly said the French Government’s gesture was a tribute to the valuable contribution of Australian servicemen and women in the war in Europe.
“Australian servicemen and women served with distinction and pride in almost every theatre of World War II and played various roles in the liberation of France, including the famous D-Day invasion on 6 June 1944,” Mrs Kelly said. “The awarding of the Legion of Honour to six Australian veterans from that conflict is a source of pride for all Australians and demonstrates the high esteem in which our veterans are held by France.”
Frank Appleton, from the ACT, was attached to the Royal Navy and during the D-Day landings led a flotilla of 12 landing craft onto ‘Juno’ Beach, receiving the Distinguished Service Cross.
Leslie Coleman, from Victoria, fought his way ashore at ‘Gold’ Beach on D-Day as one of eight Australian Army observers attached to the Allied Expeditionary Force for the landings at Normandy.
Tom Hughes, from New South Wales, piloted Sunderland flying boats with 10 Squadron RAAF and flew patrols over the English Channel during D-Day to protect the Allied fleet from U-boats.
Brian Inglis, from Victoria, flew cover over the Allied beachheads on Normandy as a fighter pilot with 453 Squadron, which became the first British Empire fighter squadron to move officially to France after the Allied landings.
William Kaus, from Queensland, was attached to the RAF as a wireless operator/ air gunner with 161 Squadron and flew secret missions for the famous SOE (Special Operations Executive), receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Bernard Nelson, from New South Wales, was attached to the Royal Navy and commanded HM LCT (Landing Craft, Tank) 1038, which landed tanks and soldiers on ‘Gold’ Beach and also supported landings at ‘Utah’ and ‘Omaha’ beaches.
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