York’s last surviving Normandy veteran, 100-year-old Ken Cooke, has been awarded the Freedom of the City in recognition of his military service and contribution to the community.

The City of York Council unanimously approved the award, the highest honour the authority can bestow.

Cooke, who was 18 when he took part in the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944, said he was “shocked and honoured” by the recognition.

He said he was proud to receive the honour, adding that it was something he had never expected.

Cooke, who has lived in York for 80 years, said the award also represented his fallen and surviving comrades.

“This is for all my comrades too. Every award I get always includes them,” he said.

Since leaving military service, Cooke has participated in remembrance events and spoken to schools and community groups to ensure that the sacrifices of his generation are not forgotten.

Council leader, Councillor Claire Douglas, said the city had a responsibility to recognise Cooke’s service to York and the country.

Chairman of York’s Royal British Legion branch, Councillor Martin Rowley, said Cooke had “single-handedly kept Normandy memories alive” and had become a leading advocate for veterans.

Cooke was among the first troops to land on D-Day and he later recalled stepping into about six inches of seawater and remembering only how wet his socks felt.

Less than a month later, a mortar bomb seriously wounded him while he was on patrol, forcing him to return home to recover.

After recovering from his injuries, Cooke returned to the front line before eventually settling in York.

BBC/Maxwell Oyekunle

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