A D-DAY veteran is waiting for a medal from the French government, nearly three years after it was announced the distinction would be awarded to all British veterans who fought for the liberation of France during the Second World War.

Tom Waite was among the Allied forces who took part in the D-Day landings on 6 June, 1944, being one of the thousands of soldiers tasked with securing a beach given the code name Sword.

The 94-year-old, thought to be the oldest Normandy landings survivor in Andover, said: “You were too excited to be frightened.

“We jumped out of the carriers and we were up to our necks in the sea water.

“We were told to just run to the shore and dig a hole. I had a friend, Monty Bishop, who had a trumpet and he carried it with him everywhere.

“He was killed that day.”

The French government announced on the 70th anniversary of the landings in 2014 that veterans who took part in military operations in France between 1944 and 1945 would receive the Légion d’honneur - the highest decoration in France.

Tom, and his son Dennis Kenway, sent off an application for the medal two years ago but still do not know if the veteran will receive the honour.

In May, the French embassy said 400 more veterans were to receive their medal ‘in the coming weeks’ and approximately 100 names were ‘still being processed’.

Tom, who has five medals for his service, was in France for a few days before he suffered a malaria relapse - he first picked up the disease while serving in North Africa earlier in the war - and was sent back home for the rest of the war.

Tom, born in 1923 in Poplar, signed up to the army in 1940 and was a private as the army battled through North Africa, Sicily and then into Italy before he and his comrades flew home to prepare for D-Day.

During the Italian campaign, he met the Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, known as Monty.

Tom said: “We used to do 10 mile runs with all our rifles and helmets and so on. We were running along and one day, Monty came by in his Jeep. He said ‘well done lads, keep going’ and one of the boys said ‘its alright for you, you’re in your Jeep!’”

After the war, Tom, who had seven sisters and four brothers, worked for the Kelsey Hayes Wheel Company, a subsidiary of Ford, in Dagenham.

He was based there for around 14 years before he changed his role to work for the Post Office.

He was first based in north London and then in Andover, as a postman and a driver.

He married his wife Christina in 1964 though she died in 2005.

Tom was also a pub singer in the East End of London, singing at various institutions.

Up until recently he was singing at events, including wowing his carers at a party organised by the company they worked for.

Son Dennis said: “Three or four years ago he was still singing when he had the opportunity.

“People used to be amazed by his renditions of what he sang during the war.”

He moved to Andover in the early 1970s and has lived in the area since.

He has two sons, four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.