A MONMOUTH war veteran who was awarded France’s Legion d’Honneur for his role in the Second World War D-Day landings has died peacefully at the age of 94.

Ken Brown MBE was one of the ground crew responsible for servicing the aircraft of 635 Squadron at RAF Downham Market in Norfolk - a leading pathfinder squadron of Lancaster bombers, tasked with destroying the railway lines and disrupting the German war machine behind the D-Day beaches in June 1944.

He modestly described the award in 2016 as ‘a big, big surprise and totally unwarranted, as many of those who deserve it are now dead - I have simply outlasted my colleagues’.

Ken met his late wife Irene at a local dance in Downham Market in 1946. The couple celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in August 2016.

Most of Ken’s life was spent in the tailoring trade while Irene raised their two boys Peter and Andrew.

Comptons made uniforms in large quantities for the Chelsea Pensioners. Yeomen of the Guard and all the livery uniforms at Buckingham Palace and, as chairman and managing director of what was then Europe’s leading uniform manufacturers, Ken was awarded the MBE in 1978 for his services to export.

When asked by HM The Queen what he’d done to deserve the award he explained it was for exports, adding that the company made uniforms “and one of those uniforms is standing behind you Ma’am”.

As holder of Comptons’ Royal Warrant, Ken and Irene enjoyed visits to the Houses of Commons and Lords, the Guildhall and Windsor Castle and even an invitation from Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to visit and tour No 10 Downing Street.

The couple retired to Monmouth where Ken was president of the golf club for eight years and president of the Wye Valley Art Society for 25 years.

Ken had actually gained a distinction in Art at school, but instead of going to art college spent the war years in the RAF and, after demob, put his interest in art on hold due to work and family commitments.

In retirement he wasted no time in rekindling that interest - joining numerous art societies and groups and in due course exhibiting widely as an amateur, with works produced in a wide range of media.

He regularly drew and painted with a small band of fellow amateurs who met in the studio of and were guided by Monmouth-based professional artist Richard Wills.

Ken died peacefully at home on 10th August surrounded by his family.

A thanksgiving service for his remarkable life will be held at Monmouth Baptist Church on Thursday 30th August at 2pm.