Left to right: War Veterans in Paris at the Moulin Rouge - Bill Robertson, Dacre Smyth, Collin Wheatley and Charles Turner.

Backstage with the beautiful dancers of the Moulin Rouge in Paris ... every sailor’s dream of a visit to France.

And it came true for CDRE Dacre Smyth, but not until 60 years after he peered over the beaches of Normandy on D-Day 1944 as a young gunnery officer in one of HM Ships bombarding the Nazi positions ahead of the great landings.

CDRE Smyth couldn’t make it into Paris that day, but he returned to France during last month’s commemorations to receive France’s highest award, the Legion of Honour, from President Jacques Chirac, during a ceremony at Arromanches.

Three further Australian World War II veterans received the honour from President Chirac at Les Invalides in Paris. Military Cross winner Bill Robertson, then of Army divisional headquarters, RAAF Dakota navigator Charles Turner and Collin Wheatley, a RAAF Lancaster gunner, were among veterans of 14 countries to be presented with the coveted medal.

In the main ceremony at Arromanches, 33 ADF members serving in Britain and France took part in celebrations culminating in a march-past before the leaders of 22 countries, including for the first time, Germany.

Then, on to Paris and the Moulin Rouge.

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