Anzac brothers moved to tears

Tears welled in the eyes of two respected Albany veterans as they received France’s highest decoration over the weekend.

Kalgan brothers Eric and Murray Maxton, and Bunbury’s Tom Lofthouse, were hailed as national treasures on Saturday and awarded the Legion of Honour by France’s Minister of Defence Jean-Yves Le Drian during a heartwarming ceremony attended by Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, Returned and Services League of Australia national president Rear Admiral Ken Doolan and other dignitaries.

The pride on the trio’s faces was plain to see as Mr Le Drian passionately praised the men’s courage, risking their lives in the skies above Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II to help Allied forces liberate France.

The Legion of Honour was created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 and is the highest possible accolade bestowed to those who have shown outstanding services to France.

Mr Le Drian said the men were legends and applauded their heroism, 70 years after the D-Day landings.

“Because we owe our liberty to you … France wishes to express our utmost gratitude,” he said.

“Your acts of valour … have never been forgotten.

“It is a great honour for me to present this distinction to you in Albany on the day where your forefathers left 100 years ago.”

The Maxtons are the only pair of brothers they know who flew in action together in the same aircraft during World War II, after joining the Royal Australian Air Force Reserves in Albany when in their early 20s. With Murray as pilot and Eric as wireless operator, the brothers flew an Avro Lancaster in Squadron 460 as part of RAAF Bomber Command and diced with death during more than 30 operations.

Murray, who turns 94 today, said he was overcome with emotion.

“It is absolutely wonderful to be recognised,” he said.

“It was pretty full-on in Normandy at the time … we pulverised the German railways and muster yards and helped bring reinforcements up to the front.”

Eric, who turns 91 in January, was also overwhelmed.

“I never dreamt of getting something like this,” he said.

“To get that was really great and to think it is a foreign Government giving them to us — that has a lot of significance.”

Murray’s wife Pat and daughter Lorraine Marshall were both moved to tears.

“I am always a proud daughter but I am extra proud today,” Mrs Marshall said.

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