Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was such a privilege last Saturday to present the French Legion of Honour to David Mathias, who is 90 years of age. He lives in Banora Point in my electorate of Richmond. The order is, of course, France's highest decoration and recognises his service as a signaller in the Royal British Navy. David Mathias was with the 50th Landing Craft Tank Flotilla, which was part of the landing force carrying soldiers and tanks to Utah Beach in the Normandy operations. He completed six such crossings from the UK to France.

It was such an honour to present the award to David, especially as so many of his family and friends were present. We also read a letter from the French embassy which included the following:

France will never forget the thousands of soldiers who came to fight on French battlefields & we still remain grateful today. It was in this regard that the President of the French Republic opened the Legion of Honour to WW2 veterans who risked their lives for the liberation of France.

Thanks so much to David Mathias for his service and thanks to his family, and in particular his wife, Ann, for inviting me to be a part of their very special occasion.

Following the war, Mr Mathias worked in London before moving to Australia in 1948 and eventually working on the Snowy Mountains Scheme. In 1961 he married the love of his life, Ann, and their family grew to include a son, daughter and six grandsons, many of whom were able to attend the wonderful service on Saturday. They retired to the beautiful North Coast of New South Wales in 1982 and David Mathias played a major role in the 50th anniversary commemoration of D-day in 1994 after he travelled to France with the then Prime Minister, Paul Keating. Thank you for your service.