That the Parliament congratulates Evelyn Armstrong (née Martin), originally from Whalley in Lancashire and now living in Greenlaw in the Scottish Borders, on being awarded the Légion d’Honneur, France’s highest military honour, for her outstanding service during the Second World War; notes that Evelyn, now 104 years old and one of the few surviving veterans of the conflict, served with distinction in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force as a plotter and flight controller, directing RAF missions during some of the most decisive moments of the war; recognises Evelyn’s vital contribution from her post at RAF Tangmere in West Sussex during the D-Day landings, where she plotted aircraft movements for 617 Squadron, the Dambusters, and played a key role in the success of Operation Overlord and the liberation of France; acknowledges that Evelyn also served at RAF Bawtry in Yorkshire and RAF Barton Hall in Lancashire, was on duty during the historic Dambusters raid of 1943, and helped coordinate Operation Manna in 1944, which delivered lifesaving food supplies to the people of the Netherlands; notes that Evelyn’s wartime service was captured in the 1943 colour documentary Night Bombers, in which she appears on duty during an RAF raid on Berlin, a remarkable visual record still available today; recognises what it sees as the immense courage, skill, and composure required of Evelyn and her colleagues, whose actions under pressure contributed directly to Allied success; welcomes the recognition bestowed by the French Government and presented by Ambassador Hélène Tréheux-Duchêne; sends its warmest good wishes to Evelyn as she approaches her 105th birthday in December 2025, and expresses its profound gratitude for her extraordinary contribution to the war effort.
Supported by:
Alasdair Allan, Colin Beattie, Miles Briggs, Tim Eagle, Annabelle Ewing, Murdo Fraser, Meghan Gallacher, Kenneth Gibson, Dr Pam Gosal MBE, Dr Sandesh Gulhane, Craig Hoy, Liam Kerr, Douglas Ross, Alexander Stewart, Paul Sweeney, David Torrance, Annie Wells, Tess White, Brian Whittle