Old soldier Harry Shindler today received an MBE for his work in helping to find the graves of British servicemen killed or listed as missing in action during the Second World War.
But Harry has been fighting another war in recent years. He has fought all the way to the European Courts to restore voting rights for Britons living abroad.
In September 2013 Conservatives Abroad, led by Chairman Heather Harper, joined Harry to meet Vice-President of the European Commission Vivian Reding to press the Commission to take further action to ensure that EU citizens living in another EU country have the right to vote in national elections of their country of origin.
Commenting on Harry’s award, Heather Harper said “congratulations Harry, I am proud to be part of your expat army. When we were in Brussels as part of your delegation to the European Union, you said "you have to be prepared to lose a few battles to win a war and I'm prepared to lose a few but I will fight on to get my right to vote". We're behind you Harry - you are an inspiration to all who fight for their rights."
Harry is pictured above with Vice-President Reding, Heather Harper, Sir Roger Gale MP and Christopher Chantrey OBE, President of Conservatives Abroad, Paris.
You can read more about Harry's story in the latest edition of the Economist here