Chiswick Woman Awarded Legion D'Honneur
Patricia Davies intercepted German Naval messages before D-Day
Patricia Davies receives her reward at the French Embassy
A 95-year-old Chiswick woman was at the French Embassy in London this Tuesday (18 June) to receive the Legion D'Honneur for her work prior to D-Day.
Patricia Davies was just 18 when, as a Royal Navy Wren, she was responsible for interpreting intercepted German Naval messages which were then passed onto the code-breaking operation.
The French Ambassador presented his country's highest honour to the former Chief Petty Officer. It was on 18 June 1940 when General De Gaulle made his call for resistance. The embassy said the award was given for "for their bravery & their remarkable contributions to the liberation of our country. We are forever grateful for their commitment & sacrifices".
Ms Davies said: "I didn't do anything more than the rest of our secret listening wrens did, so I hope I am sort of getting it as a representative of lots of other people, not just what I did."
When based in Dover just prior to D-Day she came out of the hut in which she was working to come face-to-face with Winston Churchill. She said he was probably there to suggest to the Nazis that the planned invasion was somewhere else other than Normandy. She waved at the Prime Minister and said, 'Oh hello, good morning'.
The award does give her a dilemma however as she remains unsure when she will be able to wear her medal.
She said, "It is of all the medals you might get I think that's the most glamorous one, when I can wear it, I'm not quite sure.
"I don't think shopping and French supermarkets will be quite the right moment, I am very thrilled to have it."
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June 18, 2019
