Queen to present MBE to war hero

FRENCH war hero Bob Maloubier, one of the last surviving Second World War Special Operations Executive agents, is to be given the MBE by the Queen in Paris next week.

Bob, who parachuted into France as a demolitions expert, was a leader of the Maquis group who liberated Limoges in Haute Vienne on August 25, 1944, and they played a huge role in disrupting German efforts to get reinforcements north to Normandy after D-Day.

In an interview in the June issue of The Connexion, going on sale from tomorrow, he tells why he became an explosives expert and parachuted into France to be part of Churchill’s secret army: "I didn't want to sit around tapping a radio all day, so I learned to blow up bridges."

He will be honoured by the Queen at a special ceremony at the British Embassy on June 5 ahead of the official D-Day commemorations on June 6 at Sword Beach, Ouistreham.

Mr Maloubier said: "Well, I've already got lots of medals, but of course I'm very happy!"

Connexion has exclusive interviews with secret agents and D-Day veterans in a special 16-page pull-out supplement – on sale tomorrow.