A Second World War veteran who was present at the Nuremberg trials of Nazi war criminals is to be awarded France's highest accolade, the Legion of Honour.

Leslie Sutton, 91, served as a corporal in the RAF and took part in the D-Day landings at Omaha Beach, Normandy.

He will receive the honour from the French ambassador at a cerem-ony at London's French embassy next month.

The Ilford resident and Redbridge United Synagogue member said he felt "very proud and privileged because it represents not only what I did but the boys and girls who didn't come back".

His three brothers also fought in the war - the eldest, RAF sergeant Ronald Sutton, was killed in action in 1942.

The award is also for the boys and girls who didn’t come back

Mr Sutton latterly worked as a security escort for VIPs, in which capacity he accompanied Charles de Gaulle to the Nuremberg trials in 1946.

"Looking back, I saw history being made," Mr Sutton recalled.

He still lectures on his wartime experiences at the Imperial War Museum and the Russian embassy, "because Churchill once said anything that is forgotten can be repeated. That is why I pass it on to several generations."

The great-grandfather is on the executive of the Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women and was Ajex's national standard bearer for 20 years.

He attends both the association's annual memorial parade in central London and its Paris equivalent.