SECOND World War veteran Charles Horne returned to infamous Omaha Beach during an emotional trip to Normandy, where he recalled the vital role of Royal Navy minesweepers in clearing the way for the American landings.

Mr Horne – who is set to receive France’s highest military honour for his role in the Allied invasion in 1944 – was just 18 when he joined the Royal Navy minesweepers and found himself heading out to Normandy for the D-Day landings.

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And he revealed how the sweeper he was on came within half a mile of the beach as it cleared channels of mines for the smaller landing boats to bring troop onto land.

He said: “We were so close that we were drawing in just 8ft of water at one point.

“We were under American command but it was the British minesweepers that went in first to clear the way.”

Mr Horne, from Port Seton, was a fisherman to trade when he joined the Navy during the war.

He travelled to Normandy last month with daughters Carolyn and Margaret as part of a free trip funded by the Royal British Legion.

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Normandy veterans are entitled to a free tour of the Normandy beaches and can take two relatives or carers.

Mr Horne and his daughters joined 13 other veterans and their families on the trip last month, which took them to visit landmark sites such as the Pegasus Bridge Memorial, Omaha and Utah beaches and the Bayeux Cathedral and Bayeux War Cemetery, as well as other cemeteries.

Mr Horne’s daughter Carolyn Algeo, who runs J&C Seafood at Port Seton Harbour, said throughout the trip people kept coming up to thank her father and fellow veterans for their service.

She said that at Omaha Beach they met American visitors who wanted to shake her dad’s hand, as well as US re-enactors, and were treated to a ride in a WW2 US army jeep.

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She said: “It was a fantastic trip and opportunity for dad to go back.

“Everyone was so friendly and grateful to the veterans. It was quite emotional at time.

“The Royal British Legion funded the whole trip and we were surprised when we found out these trips were available.

“We’d encourage any families who want to go to look into the trips. It was very well organised.”

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The family have now been told that Mr Horne will receive the Legion d’honneur, France’s highest honour, as a veteran of the D-Day landings, and arrangements are being made to present it to him.

Mr Horne was demobbed in 1946 and returned to civilian life in March 1947. He met wife Jenny at a dance in Musselburgh that year and they married two years later.

The veteran returned to working as a fisherman until retiring and the couple had three daughters.