THE STEP-SON of an Andover war veteran has spoken of his mixed emotions after finally receiving a medal intended for his father, months after he passed away.

Dennis Kenway applied for the Legion D’honneur medal in 2014 for his dad, Thomas William Waite.

Whilst we heard about others receiving the medal, dad’s did not appear,” Dennis told the Advertiser.

“But I continued fighting for it.”

Thomas was born on August 8, 1923 and seconded to 1st battalion Royal Hampshire Regiment.

He fought with his comrades through north Africa and Sicily, Italy, until they were sent back to UK to train for D-Day.

They were the first to land on Sword Beach in Normandy on June 6, 1944.

But at the age of 96 in July 2019, Thomas fell over and broke his hip and remained in hospital for months before he was sent to Millway House Care Home on November 12, still without his medal.

“On November 14 I received a call from France,” Dennis continued.

“I was informed that his paperwork had been found at the bottom of an in tray. It had been processed, but remained in the tray for over four years and was on its way.”

But sadly Thomas never got to hold his medal, as he passed away three days later.

After more paperwork, the medal finally arrived in July this year.

“Obviously it was extremely emotional for me and the whole family that he had at last received his medal, but sadly passed away before he had a chance to see it,” Dennis finished.

“But he will be so proud when his Great Grand daughter Ellie wears it with his other medals on Armistice Day this year.”